Published January 2015 | Version v1
Journal article

Fast magnetic reconnection with large guide fields

  • 1. Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545 (United States)

Description

In this letter, it is demonstrated using two-fluid simulations that low-β magnetic reconnection remains fast, regardless of the presence of fast dispersive waves, which have been previously suggested to play a critical role. To understand these results, a discrete model is constructed that offers scaling relationships for the reconnection rate and dissipation region (DR) thickness in terms of the upstream magnetic field and DR length. We verify these scalings numerically and show how the DR self-adjusts to process magnetic flux at the same rate that it is supplied to a larger region where two-fluid effects become important. The rate is therefore independent of the DR physics and is in good agreement with kinetic results

Additional details

Identifiers

Publishing Information

Journal Title
Physics of Plasmas
Journal Volume
22
Journal Issue
1
Journal Page Range
p. 010701-010701.5
ISSN
1070-664X
CODEN
PHPAEN

INIS

Country of Publication
United States
Country of Input or Organization
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
INIS RN
46113836
Subject category
S70: PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY;
Descriptors DEI
FLUIDS; MAGNETIC FIELDS; MAGNETIC FLUX; MAGNETIC RECONNECTION; PLASMA SIMULATION; SCALING
Descriptors DEC
SIMULATION

Optional Information

Notes
(c) 2015 AIP Publishing LLC