Collaborative Research: Particle Simulation of Collisionless Magnetic Reconnection Under Finite Guide Field

Technical Report · Thu Feb 03 04:00:00 EST 2022

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/1843577· OSTI ID:1843577

Lin, Yu ^[1]

---

1. Auburn Univ., AL (United States); Auburn University

Magnetic reconnection is believed to be one of the most fundamental physical processes in laboratory and space plasmas. Fundamental physics of collisionless reconnection under general conditions of finite guide magnetic field, realistic electron-to-ion mass ratio, and in 3D geometries is still not adequately understood. The major goal of this project is to study the physics of collisionless magnetic reconnection in a current sheet under a finite guide field and with a realistic ion-to-electron mass ratio mi/me. Under the support of this DoE grant, we have made significant progress in (1) the investigation of linear and nonlinear current sheet instabilities under a wide range of guide field using the 3-D gyro kinetic electron and fully kinetic ion (GeFi) particle simulation model and (2) the investigation of fully nonlinear reconnection process with a strong guide field with the GeFi simulations. Furthermore, (3) we have extended the study to the realistic geometry of the magnetopause using 3D global hybrid simulations. This study, from local to global scales and for 3-D physics at plasma boundaries, has provides advanced theoretical understanding of the fundamental physics of magnetic reconnection in laboratory and space plasma regimes on multi-scales.

• Research Organization: Auburn Univ., AL (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES)
• DOE Contract Number: SC0018071
• OSTI ID: 1843577
• Report Number(s): DOE-AUBURN-18071
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
fully kinetic ion simulation
gyrokinetic electron simulation
hybrid simulation
lower-hybrid instability
lower-hybrid waves
magnetic flux ropes
magnetic reconnection