Observation of astrophysically-relevant superadiabaticity in a plasma confined by a dipole magnet

Abstract

The polytropic index of electrons in a magnetized plasma is experimentally investigated in the presence of heating and anisotropic work done, incorporating the effective dimensionality arising from temperature anisotropy. The study is performed in a plasma confined by a permanent cylindrical dipole magnet using a compact device. The measurements clearly demonstrate localized regions of superadiabatic electrons due to particle acceleration and energization through non-resonant heating processes. The realization of superadiabaticity is universal where heating dominates the work done and has broader implications for energy exchange processes in space and astrophysically-relevant plasmas.