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Dissipation in relativistic pair-plasma reconnection

Journal Article · · Physics of Plasmas
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.2801482· OSTI ID:21069874
;  [1]
  1. NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland 20771 (United States)
An investigation into the relativistic dissipation in magnetic reconnection is presented. The investigated system consists of an electron-positron plasma. A relativistic generalization of Ohm's law is derived. A set of numerical simulations is analyzed, composed of runs with and without guide magnetic field, and of runs with different species temperatures. The calculations indicate that the thermal inertia-based dissipation process survives in relativistic plasmas. For antiparallel reconnection, it is found that the pressure tensor divergence remains the sole contributor to the reconnection electric field, whereas relativistic guide field reconnection exhibits a similarly important role of the bulk inertia terms.
OSTI ID:
21069874
Journal Information:
Physics of Plasmas, Journal Name: Physics of Plasmas Journal Issue: 11 Vol. 14; ISSN PHPAEN; ISSN 1070-664X
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English