The general subject of the research supported by this grant over the past five years has been the basic physics of magnetic field line reconnection. This is an important yet unsolved problem in magnetospheric physics, solar physics and astrophysics. The approach has been to attack the problem from the most accessible side, i.e., laboratory experiments. In the process of understanding reconnection several related phenomena have been investigated. These include waves and instabilities and beam-plasma interactions. Major new results have been obtained including magnetic field topologies, plasma properties, particle acceleration, anomalous resistivity, plasma turbulence and disruptive instabilities. Novel diagnostics and state-of-the-art digital data processing have been developed. In this renewal grant the same equipment with some additions will be used in new ventures. Specifically, the topics of electric currents in various solar terrestrial simulations will be studied; e.g., plasmoids, magnetic flux ropes, moving plasmas and beams. All of these are relevant to the solar-terrestrial environment where electric currents control the energetics of magnetospheric dynamics.
