We present experimental data providing evidence for the formation of transient (∼20μs) plasmas that are simultaneously weakly magnetized (i.e., Hall magnetization parameter ωτ>1) and dominated by thermal pressure (i.e., ratio of thermal-to-magnetic pressure β>1). Particle collisional mean free paths are an appreciable fraction of the overall system size. These plasmas are formed via the head-on merging of two plasmas launched by magnetized coaxial guns. The ratio λgun=μ0Igun/ψgun
Nearby in the stack
of gun current
Igun
to applied magnetic flux
ψgun
is an experimental knob for exploring the parameter space of
β
and
ωτ
. These experiments were conducted on the Big Red Ball at the Wisconsin Plasma Physics Laboratory. The transient formation of such plasmas can potentially open up new regimes for the laboratory study of weakly collisional, magnetized, high-
β
plasma physics; processes relevant to astrophysical objects and phenomena; and novel magnetized plasma targets for magneto-inertial fusion.