Spontaneous, Three-Dimensional, Constant-Energy Implosion of Magnetic Mirror Fields

Experimental and theoretical results are presented concerning a method for providing three-dimensional spontaneous implosion of a magnetic mirror field. This is achieved by making the mirror field a propagating macroscopic wave in medium for which the wave velocity is a slowly changing function of position. Slowing down of the magnetic mirror wave causes WKB steepening and shortening—i.e., three-dimensional field compression—in a manner wherein the total magnetic field energy stays constant.