Scaling of asymmetric reconnection in compressible plasmas

Journal Article · Sat May 15 00:00:00 EDT 2010 · Physics of Plasmas

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3429676· OSTI ID:21371101

Birn, J; Borovsky, J E ^[1]; Hesse, M ^[2]; Schindler, K ^[3]

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1. Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545 (United States)
2. NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland 20771 (United States)
3. Ruhr University, D-44780 Bochum (Germany)

The scaling of the reconnection rate with external parameters is reconsidered for antiparallel reconnection in a single-fluid magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) model, allowing for compressibility as well as asymmetry between the plasmas and magnetic fields in the two inflow regions. The results show a modest dependence of the reconnection rate on the plasma beta (ratio of plasma to magnetic pressure) in the inflow regions and demonstrate the importance of the conversion of magnetic energy to enthalpy flux (that is, convected thermal energy) in the outflow regions. The conversion of incoming magnetic to outgoing thermal energy flux remains finite even in the limit of incompressibility, while the scaling of the reconnection rate obtained earlier [P. A. Cassak and M. A. Shay, Phys. Plasmas 14, 102114 (2007)] is recovered. The assumptions entering the scaling estimates are critically investigated on the basis of two-dimensional resistive MHD simulations, confirming and even strengthening the importance of the enthalpy flux in the outflow from the reconnection site.

• OSTI ID: 21371101
• Journal Information: Physics of Plasmas, Vol. 17, Issue 5; Other Information: DOI: 10.1063/1.3429676; (c) 2010 American Institute of Physics; ISSN 1070-664X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
ASYMMETRY
BETA RATIO
COMPRESSIBILITY
ENTHALPY
MAGNETIC FIELDS
MAGNETIC RECONNECTION
MAGNETOHYDRODYNAMICS
PLASMA
PLASMA SIMULATION
SCALING
TWO-DIMENSIONAL CALCULATIONS
DIMENSIONLESS NUMBERS
FLUID MECHANICS
HYDRODYNAMICS
MECHANICAL PROPERTIES
MECHANICS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
SIMULATION
THERMODYNAMIC PROPERTIES