Research Plan

• Year 1: Increase modulation capability for main cathode-anode current, attempting to launch Alfvén waves with perturbed magnetic field > 1% of the background field. Continue studies of driven Alfvénic cascade with reflecting boundary conditions. Design and build new loop antenna and drivers. Fabricate probes and probe arrays for measuring wavenumber spectrum.
• Year 2: Fabricate additional small resonant anode-cathode pair, discharge capacitor bank circuit, and modulation circuit. Perform initial studies of wavepacket collisions using main anode-cathode resonator and small cathode-anode pair. Continued studies of large amplitude drive in reflecting boundary conditions. Iterate on large amplitude modulator design and loop antenna design. Fabricate additional probes as necessary.
• Year 3: Fabrication of second small resonant anode-cathode pair and driver for wavepacket collision studies (allowing variable anode-cathode spacing on both wavepacket drivers). Continuation of wavepacket collision studies using two sources. Continuation of driven reflecting boundary condition studies using main cathode-anode pair, small resonant cavities, and loop antennas. Iteration and redesign of antennas, driver electronics, and probes as necessary.
• Years 4-5: Continuation of nonlinear Alfvén wave interaction and driven Alfvénic cascade studies. Design and fabrication of wave sources for accessing lower k_parallel in launch wave.