This research investigates magnetic reconnection, a fundamental plasma process that drives space weather and can disrupt satellites, GPS, and power grids. Using UCLA's Large Plasma Device, the study recreates reconnection events thousands of times in the laboratory to uncover missing physics and improve predictions of solar storms and space-weather hazards.

This research uses ultra-powerful lasers to study electrons in near-vacuum conditions, enabling precise measurements of laser intensity and vacuum cleanliness. By tracking electron ejection angles and clearing dynamics, the work supports next-generation experiments in vacuum physics, fusion energy, and radiation science—creating a “laboratory fish tank” for exploring empty space.