Coalescence of two magnetic flux ropes via collisional magnetic reconnection

Journal Article · Sun May 15 04:00:00 EDT 2005 · Physics of Plasmas

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.1894418· OSTI ID:20736562

Furno, Ivo; Intrator, Thomas P; Hemsing, Erik W; Hsu, Scott C; Abbate, S; Ricci, Paolo; Lapenta, Giovanni ^[1]

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1. Los Alamos National Laboratory, M.S. E526, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545 (United States)

Quasi-two-dimensional coalescence of two parallel cylindrical flux ropes and the development of three-dimensional merged structures are observed and studied in the reconnection scaling experiment [Furno et al., Rev. Sci. Instrum. 74, 2324 (2003)]. These experiments were conducted in a collisional regime with very strong guide magnetic field (B{sub guide}>>B{sub reconnection}), which can be adjusted independently of plasma density, current density, and temperature. During initial coalescence, a reconnection current sheet forms between the two flux ropes, and the direction of the current is opposite to the flux rope currents. The measured current sheet thickness is larger than the electron skin depth but smaller than the ion skin depth. Furthermore, the thickness does not vary for three different values of the strong external guide field. It is shown that the geometry of the observed current sheet is consistent with the Sweet-Parker model using a parallel Spitzer resistivity. The flux ropes eventually become kink unstable due to increasing current and fast-gated camera images show the development of three-dimensional merged structures.

• OSTI ID: 20736562
• Journal Information: Physics of Plasmas, Journal Name: Physics of Plasmas Journal Issue: 5 Vol. 12; ISSN PHPAEN; ISSN 1070-664X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
CURRENT DENSITY
ELECTRON TEMPERATURE
ION TEMPERATURE
KINK INSTABILITY
MAGNETIC FLUX
MAGNETIC RECONNECTION
MAGNETOHYDRODYNAMICS
PLASMA
PLASMA DENSITY