A magentised plasma experiment for laboratory simulation of space plasma effects

Building on previous research investigating Auroral Kilometric Radiation, the University of Strathclyde is developing a linear plasma experiment based on a helicon source, with a chamber up to 1m in diameter and 3m in length, magnetised up to 0.1T. The experiment is planned to allow microwave plasma interactions to study parametric instabilities of importance to fusion science. However the apparatus is also intended to provide a flexible facility for a range of fundamental plasma physics research. These encompass wave-plasma interactions in the ionosphere, extended research into the instability of electron beams having a horseshoe distribution in velocity space and other magnetospheric plasma phenomena. To this end the apparatus will include a high degree of flexibility allowing microwaves to be injected/measured along and across the bias magnetic field in a range of polarisations, plasma densities and magnetic fields suitable for coupling with microwaves in the 3-10 GHz range with profiled magnetic fields and densities. Progress on the experimental apparatus will be described.