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<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?><feed xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" ><generator uri="https://jekyllrb.com/" version="4.2.1">Jekyll</generator><link href="http://localhost:4000/feed.xml" rel="self" type="application/atom+xml" /><link href="http://localhost:4000/" rel="alternate" type="text/html" /><updated>2022-08-11T08:58:46-04:00</updated><id>http://localhost:4000/feed.xml</id><title type="html">PUFFIN</title><subtitle>PUFFIN is a new pulsed-power facility at the Plasma Science and Fusion Center (PSFC),  at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). PUFFIN (the PUlser For Fundamental  [Plasma Physics] INvestigations) will use intense pulses of electrical current to heat  solids to a high-energy-density (HED) plasma state. We will use PUFFIN to carry out  research into fundamental plasma processes, such as magnetic reconnection and  magneto-hydrodynamic turbulence, which underpin events such as solar flares and  the transport of matter in the accretions disks of black holes.</subtitle><author><name>Jack Hare</name></author><entry><title type="html">PUFFIN structural supports</title><link href="http://localhost:4000/news/2022/08/08/PUFFIN-supports.html" rel="alternate" type="text/html" title="PUFFIN structural supports" /><published>2022-08-08T12:00:00-04:00</published><updated>2022-08-08T12:00:00-04:00</updated><id>http://localhost:4000/news/2022/08/08/PUFFIN-supports</id><content type="html" xml:base="http://localhost:4000/news/2022/08/08/PUFFIN-supports.html"><![CDATA[<p>The support structure for PUFFIN is almost completed! Taking up a corner of the cavernous West Cell of the PSFC at 190 Albany St, this aluminium frame will hold the capacitor modules for PUFFIN and provide an elevated working platform. With space for six more modules, PUFFIN has room to grow!</p>

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    <img loading="lazy" src="/assets/2022-08-08_PUFFIN_supports2.jpeg" />
    
    <p>A view of the support structure from the loading dock.</p>
    
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    <img loading="lazy" src="/assets/2022-08-08_PUFFIN_supports1.jpeg" />
    
    <p>A fish-eye view of the support structure from up close, showing the stairs, crane and elevated platform.</p>
    
</div>]]></content><author><name>Jack Hare</name></author><category term="news" /><summary type="html"><![CDATA[The support structure for PUFFIN is almost completed! Taking up a corner of the cavernous West Cell of the PSFC at 190 Albany St, this aluminium frame will hold the capacitor modules for PUFFIN and provide an elevated working platform. With space for six more modules, PUFFIN has room to grow!]]></summary></entry><entry><title type="html">Z Fundamental Science Workshop</title><link href="http://localhost:4000/news/2022/08/02/ZFS.html" rel="alternate" type="text/html" title="Z Fundamental Science Workshop" /><published>2022-08-02T12:00:00-04:00</published><updated>2022-08-02T12:00:00-04:00</updated><id>http://localhost:4000/news/2022/08/02/ZFS</id><content type="html" xml:base="http://localhost:4000/news/2022/08/02/ZFS.html"><![CDATA[<p>Jack attended the Z Fundamental Science Workshop in Albuquerque NM, presenting results from our successful first shot on Z for the MARZ collaboration. The ZFSW brings together researchers from around the world to discuss the latest results and ideas for new research on Z, the most powerful pulsed-power machine in the world. You can find out more about MARZ on  <a href="/research/marz">our Research page</a>.</p>]]></content><author><name>Jack Hare</name></author><category term="news" /><summary type="html"><![CDATA[Jack attended the Z Fundamental Science Workshop in Albuquerque NM, presenting results from our successful first shot on Z for the MARZ collaboration. The ZFSW brings together researchers from around the world to discuss the latest results and ideas for new research on Z, the most powerful pulsed-power machine in the world. You can find out more about MARZ on our Research page.]]></summary></entry><entry><title type="html">The first PUFFIN components have arrived!</title><link href="http://localhost:4000/news/2022/05/31/PUFFIN-components.html" rel="alternate" type="text/html" title="The first PUFFIN components have arrived!" /><published>2022-05-31T16:36:00-04:00</published><updated>2022-05-31T16:36:00-04:00</updated><id>http://localhost:4000/news/2022/05/31/PUFFIN-components</id><content type="html" xml:base="http://localhost:4000/news/2022/05/31/PUFFIN-components.html"><![CDATA[<p>Very exciting times at the PSFC today as we took delivery of a huge crate full of pulsed-power goodies from our suppliers ITHPP-Alcen in France. This included two LTD5 stages, a charge and dump system, the premagnetisation generator and the switch trigger pulser. They’re now waiting for the lab to be refurbished and for the design of the central power feed to be finalised so that we can put PUFFIN together and start doing science!</p>

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    <img loading="lazy" src="/assets/puffin_crate.jpg" />
    
    <p>A crate of PUFFIN components suspended from the West Cell's 10 ton crane.</p>
    
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    <img loading="lazy" src="/assets/puffin_components1.jpg" />
    
    <p>Jack sitting on top of one of PUFFIN's two LTD stages, freshly unpacked.</p>
    
</div>]]></content><author><name>Jack Hare</name></author><category term="news" /><summary type="html"><![CDATA[Very exciting times at the PSFC today as we took delivery of a huge crate full of pulsed-power goodies from our suppliers ITHPP-Alcen in France. This included two LTD5 stages, a charge and dump system, the premagnetisation generator and the switch trigger pulser. They’re now waiting for the lab to be refurbished and for the design of the central power feed to be finalised so that we can put PUFFIN together and start doing science!]]></summary></entry><entry><title type="html">Magnetic Reconnection Workshop 2022</title><link href="http://localhost:4000/news/2022/05/21/MR2022.html" rel="alternate" type="text/html" title="Magnetic Reconnection Workshop 2022" /><published>2022-05-21T15:23:00-04:00</published><updated>2022-05-21T15:23:00-04:00</updated><id>http://localhost:4000/news/2022/05/21/MR2022</id><content type="html" xml:base="http://localhost:4000/news/2022/05/21/MR2022.html"><![CDATA[<p>Thomas and Jack both presented at this year’s Magnetic Reconnection Workshop (MR2022), held in Monterey, CA, from 15–21 May. The MR2022 conference brought together a wide array of different research fields, all of which are focused on the study of magnetic reconnection. Many experimental plasma physicists, theorists, astrophysicists, and space weather scientists (from the MMS mission) were in attendance, contributing to a wonderful week of scientific discussion. Jack presented recent data and simulations from the MARZ experiment, whilst Thomas presented a poster on the MAIZE guide-field reconnection experiments. In addition to all the interesting science, we were able to enjoy the natural beauty of the Monterey coastline, and the incredible abundance of marine wildlife!</p>

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    <img loading="lazy" src="/assets/MR2022_Monterey.jpg" />
    
    <p>Monterey was a beautiful location for conference, and absolutely teeming with seals, sea lions, and sea otters!</p>
    
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    <img loading="lazy" src="/assets/MR2022_Poster.jpg" />
    
    <p>At MR2022, Thomas presented a poster on data from our recent MAIZE guide field reconnection experiments.</p>
    
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    <img loading="lazy" src="/assets/MR2022_WhaleWatching.jpg" />
    
    <p>We were all treated to some incredible whale watching for the conference excursion!</p>
    
</div>]]></content><author><name>Thomas Varnish</name></author><category term="news" /><summary type="html"><![CDATA[Thomas and Jack both presented at this year’s Magnetic Reconnection Workshop (MR2022), held in Monterey, CA, from 15–21 May. The MR2022 conference brought together a wide array of different research fields, all of which are focused on the study of magnetic reconnection. Many experimental plasma physicists, theorists, astrophysicists, and space weather scientists (from the MMS mission) were in attendance, contributing to a wonderful week of scientific discussion. Jack presented recent data and simulations from the MARZ experiment, whilst Thomas presented a poster on the MAIZE guide-field reconnection experiments. In addition to all the interesting science, we were able to enjoy the natural beauty of the Monterey coastline, and the incredible abundance of marine wildlife!]]></summary></entry><entry><title type="html">NSE Research Expo 2022</title><link href="http://localhost:4000/news/2022/04/01/NSE-expo.html" rel="alternate" type="text/html" title="NSE Research Expo 2022" /><published>2022-04-01T12:00:00-04:00</published><updated>2022-04-01T12:00:00-04:00</updated><id>http://localhost:4000/news/2022/04/01/NSE-expo</id><content type="html" xml:base="http://localhost:4000/news/2022/04/01/NSE-expo.html"><![CDATA[<p>Each year, the Nuclear Science and Engineering (NSE) department at MIT hosts the NSE Research Expo; an internal, half-day event, where students from the department can present their work as a poster, or invited talk. This year’s theme was “Foundations and Fontiers”, and students were encouraged to demonstrate the societal impact of their research field. Thomas presented some initial results from his experiments on the MAIZE pulsed-power facility at the University of Michigan, and how these results along with PUFFIN can help develop our understanding of space weather and solar storms. For his poster, Thomas was awarded both the Judges’ and Peoples’ choice awards; congratulations!</p>

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    <img loading="lazy" src="/assets/NSE_Expo_2022_1.jpg" />
    
    <p>Thomas presenting his poster to fellow members of the NSE department. (Photo credit: Gretchen Ertl)</p>
    
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    <img loading="lazy" src="/assets/NSE_Expo_2022_3.jpg" />
    
    <p>Nuno very much enjoyed seeing some experimental hardware for the first time. Thomas brought the same exploding wire array load that was used on the experiments at UMich to help explain the experiments. (Photo credit: Gretchen Ertl)</p>
    
</div>]]></content><author><name>Thomas Varnish</name></author><category term="news" /><summary type="html"><![CDATA[Each year, the Nuclear Science and Engineering (NSE) department at MIT hosts the NSE Research Expo; an internal, half-day event, where students from the department can present their work as a poster, or invited talk. This year’s theme was “Foundations and Fontiers”, and students were encouraged to demonstrate the societal impact of their research field. Thomas presented some initial results from his experiments on the MAIZE pulsed-power facility at the University of Michigan, and how these results along with PUFFIN can help develop our understanding of space weather and solar storms. For his poster, Thomas was awarded both the Judges’ and Peoples’ choice awards; congratulations!]]></summary></entry><entry><title type="html">First Research Trip to MAIZE</title><link href="http://localhost:4000/news/2022/01/29/MAIZE22.html" rel="alternate" type="text/html" title="First Research Trip to MAIZE" /><published>2022-01-29T11:00:00-05:00</published><updated>2022-01-29T11:00:00-05:00</updated><id>http://localhost:4000/news/2022/01/29/MAIZE22</id><content type="html" xml:base="http://localhost:4000/news/2022/01/29/MAIZE22.html"><![CDATA[<p>It’s been an exciting two weeks! Jack and Thomas are back from the PUFFIN group’s first experimental trip to the MAIZE facility at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. They spent a fortnight working on pulsed-power experiments to study magnetic reconnection in a guide field. Using an externally-powered Helmholtz coil in conjunction with the MAIZE pulsed-power facility, they tested a scaled-down dual exploding wire array load, similar to experiments previously conducted on the MAGPIE pulsed-power facility at Imperial College London. We are very grateful for the support provided by the MAIZE team, and we look forward to getting back to MIT and properly analyzing our results!</p>

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    <img loading="lazy" src="/assets/MAIZE_2022_group.jpg" />
    
    <p>Thomas and the MAIZE team installing the load hardware before a shot.</p>
    
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    <img loading="lazy" src="/assets/MAIZE_2022_helmholtz.jpg" />
    
    <p>Using MAIZE, we wanted to study how an external magnetic field--produced by a Helmholtz coil--affected magnetic reconnection. Here are two exploding wire arrays installed within the Helmholtz coil, with a B-dot probe off to the left-hand side of the image.</p>
    
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    <img loading="lazy" src="/assets/MAIZE_2022_vacuum.jpg" />
    
    <p>At MAIZE we use some of the most advanced vacuum systems in the world. :)</p>
    
</div>]]></content><author><name>Thomas Varnish</name></author><category term="news" /><summary type="html"><![CDATA[It’s been an exciting two weeks! Jack and Thomas are back from the PUFFIN group’s first experimental trip to the MAIZE facility at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. They spent a fortnight working on pulsed-power experiments to study magnetic reconnection in a guide field. Using an externally-powered Helmholtz coil in conjunction with the MAIZE pulsed-power facility, they tested a scaled-down dual exploding wire array load, similar to experiments previously conducted on the MAGPIE pulsed-power facility at Imperial College London. We are very grateful for the support provided by the MAIZE team, and we look forward to getting back to MIT and properly analyzing our results!]]></summary></entry></feed>