Neutral sheet pinch experiment

Neutral Sheet Pinch was studied experimentally in order to simulate the space physical phenomena (Solar flare, Geomagnetic tail). Neutral Sheet was produced by driving the plasma current at the neutral point of cusp and quadrupole magnetic field. Under the appropriate condition, sheet pinch collapses and plasma blobs are ejected along the magnetic field on the neutral plane, which is thought to be related to the ejection of plasma at solar flares. The mechanism of pinch collapses is also discussed concerned with the tearing mode of resistive instability. (author)