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
- DOI
- 10.1063/1.4905629;
- arXiv
- arXiv:1505.03794v1;
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