Temporal evolution of the convective plasma flow during a reconnection process

Conference · Sun Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1984 · Adv. Space Res.; (United States)

OSTI ID:5581475

Semenov, V S; Kubyshkin, I V

An extension of the nonlinear reconnection model of the Petschek type which suggests that the efficiency of the energy conversion from magnetic into kinetic energy of the plasma may be essentially enhanced by shock waves, is presented in order to describe the large-scale temporal evolution of the shocks in a reconnection configuration. At the shock waves fronts, currents flow and a nonzero normal magnetic field component exists. From the balance of the tangential stress across the switch-off shock waves, it is found that in the downstream or field reversal (FR) region the plasma moves approximately with Alfven speed. At a certain time the reconnection process in the diffusion region may stop and consequently, the FR-regions sever at the origin and flow in opposite directions. 13 references.

• Research Organization: Leningradskii Gosudarstvennyi Universitet, USSR
• OSTI ID: 5581475
• Report Number(s): CONF-8406167-
• Conference Information: Journal Name: Adv. Space Res.; (United States) Journal Volume: 4
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
700108* -- Fusion Energy-- Plasma Research-- Wave Phenomena
CONVECTION
ENERGY
ENERGY TRANSFER
FLUID MECHANICS
HEAT TRANSFER
HYDRODYNAMICS
KINETIC ENERGY
MAGNETIC FIELDS
MAGNETOHYDRODYNAMICS
MASS TRANSFER
MECHANICS
PLASMA
SHOCK WAVES
STEADY-STATE CONDITIONS
TIME DEPENDENCE