Taylor state

A comparison of different Taylor States inside the Dynomak.
A comparison of different Taylor States inside the Dynomak.

In plasma physics, a Taylor state is the minimum energy state of a plasma while the plasma is conserving magnetic flux.[1] This was first proposed by John Bryan Taylor in 1974 and he backed up this claim using data from the ZETA machine.[2]

Taylor-States are critical to operating both the Dynomak and the reversed field pinch - both run in a Taylor State.

  1. ^ Paul M. Bellan (2000). Spheromaks: A Practical Application of Magnetohydrodynamic dynamos and plasma self-organization. Imperial College Press. pp. 71–79. ISBN 978-1-86094-141-2.
  2. ^ Taylor, J. Brian. "Relaxation of toroidal plasma and generation of reverse magnetic fields." Physical Review Letters 33.19 (1974): 1139.