Versatile Toroidal Facility
Encyclopedia
The Versatile Toroidal Facility (VTF) is a research group within the Physics Research Division of the MIT Plasma Science and Fusion Center
at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
. The VTF is a laboratory focused on studying the phenomenon of magnetic reconnection
. For this purpose the group has a small tokamak
designed to observe rarefied plasmas
with probes. These probes measure electric and magnetic field behavior as well as various plasma characteristics in order to better understand the poorly understood processes involved in magnetic reconnection.
The VTF is a fundamental physics research group, and its research has wide-ranging and immediate impact on our understanding of such plasma-related subjects as solar flares, the aurora borealis, magnetic confinement fusion
, and magnetohydrodynamic theory in general. The VTF is led by Dr. Miklos Porkolab and Dr. Jan Egedal, both MIT faculty.
MIT Plasma Science and Fusion Center
The Plasma Science and Fusion Center at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a research laboratory for the study of plasma physics and nuclear fusion...
at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a private research university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. MIT has five schools and one college, containing a total of 32 academic departments, with a strong emphasis on scientific and technological education and research.Founded in 1861 in...
. The VTF is a laboratory focused on studying the phenomenon of magnetic reconnection
Magnetic reconnection
Magnetic reconnection is a physical process in highly conducting plasmas in which the magnetic topology is rearranged and magnetic energy is converted to kinetic energy, thermal energy, and particle acceleration...
. For this purpose the group has a small tokamak
Tokamak
A tokamak is a device using a magnetic field to confine a plasma in the shape of a torus . Achieving a stable plasma equilibrium requires magnetic field lines that move around the torus in a helical shape...
designed to observe rarefied plasmas
Plasma (physics)
In physics and chemistry, plasma is a state of matter similar to gas in which a certain portion of the particles are ionized. Heating a gas may ionize its molecules or atoms , thus turning it into a plasma, which contains charged particles: positive ions and negative electrons or ions...
with probes. These probes measure electric and magnetic field behavior as well as various plasma characteristics in order to better understand the poorly understood processes involved in magnetic reconnection.
The VTF is a fundamental physics research group, and its research has wide-ranging and immediate impact on our understanding of such plasma-related subjects as solar flares, the aurora borealis, magnetic confinement fusion
Magnetic confinement fusion
Magnetic confinement fusion is an approach to generating fusion power that uses magnetic fields to confine the hot fusion fuel in the form of a plasma. Magnetic confinement is one of two major branches of fusion energy research, the other being inertial confinement fusion. The magnetic approach is...
, and magnetohydrodynamic theory in general. The VTF is led by Dr. Miklos Porkolab and Dr. Jan Egedal, both MIT faculty.