Experimental Test of the Sweet-Parker Model of Magnetic Reconnection

Journal Article · Wed Apr 01 00:00:00 EST 1998 · Physical Review Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.80.3256· OSTI ID:601014

Ji, H; Yamada, M; Hsu, S; Kulsrud, R ^[1]

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1. Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, Princeton University, P.O. Box 451, Princeton, New Jersey 08543 (United States)

We report a quantitative experimental test of the Sweet-Parker model of magnetic reconnection in a controlled laboratory plasma. It is found that the observed reconnection rate can be explained by a generalized Sweet-Parker model which incorporates compressibility, downstream pressure, and the effective resistivity. The latter is significantly enhanced over its classical values in the collisionless limit. {copyright} {ital 1998} {ital The American Physical Society}

• OSTI ID: 601014
• Journal Information: Physical Review Letters, Vol. 80, Issue 15; Other Information: PBD: Apr 1998
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION
COLLISIONLESS PLASMA
COMPRESSIBILITY
MAGNETOHYDRODYNAMICS
DIFFUSION
MAGNETIC FIELDS
FLUCTUATIONS
RELAXATION