The scaling of forced collisionless reconnection

Journal Article · Thu Dec 15 04:00:00 EST 2005 · Physics of Plasmas

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.2146910· OSTI ID:20782385

Sullivan, Brian P; Rogers, Barrett N; Shay, M A ^[1]

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1. Department of Physics and Astronomy, Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire 03755 (United States)

We present two-fluid simulations of forced magnetic reconnection with finite electron inertia in a collisionless two-dimensional slab geometry. Reconnection in this system is driven by a spatially localized forcing function that is added to the ion momentum equation inside the computational domain. The resulting forced reconnection process is studied as a function of the temporal and spatial structure of the forcing function, the plasma {beta}, and strength of the out-of-plane guide magnetic field component, and the electron to ion mass ratio. Consistent with previous results found in unforced, large {delta}{sup '} systems, for sufficiently strong forcing the reconnection process is found to become Alfvenic, i.e., the inflow velocity scales roughly like some small fraction of the Alfven speed based on the reconnecting component of the magnetic field just upstream of the dissipation region. The magnitude of this field and thus the rate of reconnection is controlled by the behavior of the forcing function. When the forcing strength is below a certain level, fast reconnection is not observed.

• OSTI ID: 20782385
• Journal Information: Physics of Plasmas, Journal Name: Physics of Plasmas Journal Issue: 12 Vol. 12; ISSN PHPAEN; ISSN 1070-664X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
ALFVEN WAVES
CHARGED-PARTICLE TRANSPORT
ELECTRONS
GEOMETRY
IONS
MAGNETIC FIELDS
MAGNETIC RECONNECTION
MAGNETOHYDRODYNAMICS
PLASMA
PLASMA FLUID EQUATIONS
PLASMA SIMULATION
TWO-DIMENSIONAL CALCULATIONS