Fast magnetic reconnection with large guide fields

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 sc...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Physics of plasmas 2015-01, Vol.22 (1)
Main Authors: Stanier, A., Simakov, Andrei N., Chacón, L., Daughton, W.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
Computer simulation
Direct reduction
Magnetic flux
Mathematical models
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Summary: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.
ISSN:1070-664X
1089-7674
DOI:10.1063/1.4905629