Magnetic reconnection (MR) is a universal physical process in plasma, in which the stored magnetic energy is converted into high-velocity flows and energetic particles. It is believed that MR plays an important role in many plasma phenomena such as solar fare, gamma-ray burst, fusion plasma instabilities, etc.. The process of MR has been studied in detail by dedicated magnetic-driven experiments. Here, we report the measurements of magnetic reconnection driven by Shenguang II lasers and Gekko XVII lasers. A collimated plasma jet is observed along the direction perpendicular to the reconnection plane with the optical probing. The present jet is very different from traditional magnetic reconnection outflows as known in the two-dimensional reconnection plane. In our experiment, by changing the delay of optical probing beam, we measure the temporal evolution of jet from 0.5 ns to 2.5 ns and its velocity around 400 km/s is deduced. Highcollimated jet is also confirmed by its strong X-ray radiation recorded by an X-ray pinhole camera. With the help of optical interferograms we calculate the jet configuration and its density distribution by using Abel inverting technique. A magnetic spectrometer with an energy range from hundred eV up to one MeV is installed in front of the jet, in the direction perpendicular to the reconnection plane, to measure the accelerated electrons. Two cases are considered for checking the acceleration of electrons. The results show that more accelerated electrons can be found in the reconnection case than in the case without reconnection. We propose that the formation and collimation of the plasma jet, and the electron energy spectrum may be possible directly influenced by the reconnection electric field, which is very important for understanding the energy conversion in the process of MR and establishment of the theoretical model. Finally the electron energy spectra of three different materials Al, Ta and Au are also shown in our work. The results indicate that the higher atomic number material can obtain a better signal-noise ratio, which provides some helpful references for our future work.

利用“神光Ⅱ”激光装置的两束激光烧蚀半圆柱壳层靶产生了高速等离子体喷流。喷流的参数由光学和X射线诊断测量。喷流是准直的,在真空中传播。一维流体力学模拟被用来间接地计算喷流的速度。喷流的准直可能来源于高Z等离子体的辐射冷却。由于和年轻恒星喷流具有某些几何相似性,实验室喷流对于在实验室中模拟年轻恒星喷流具有潜在应用。

激光等离子体磁重联实验再现了卫星观测到的日地磁场活动特征。一方面,实验再现了太阳冕区物质抛射及耀斑结构，包括明亮的尖屋顶状环、具有微细结构的磁化等离子体团以及二者之间因为磁场拉扯而产生的二阶电流片。另一方面，实验发现存在三个电子扩散区(EDR)，这与欧洲空间局Cluster卫星先后在2003年和2005年发现的分别处于地磁尾重联区中间部位及两侧分形线位置的两类EDR结构相似。所不同的是，在激光等离子体磁重联实验中，两类EDR在一次重联过程中产生，但中心EDR出现时间晚于两侧EDR，且其发展速度更快，喷流速度接近或者超过迎流Alfven速度。通过对太阳耀斑附近、地磁尾重联区以及激光等离子体自生磁场重联区位置等离子体的参数比较，显示三者在一定程度上具有Euler-Alfven相似性，这表明可以通过激光等离子体自生磁场的重联过程来研究其他两种等离子体中的磁重联现象。