Magnetic reconnection with null and X-points
Abstract
Null and X-points are not themselves directly important to magnetic reconnection because distinguishable field lines do not approach them closely. Even in a collision-free plasma, magnetic field lines that approach each other on a scale c/$$\omega_\rho$$e become indistinguishable during an evolution. What is important is the different regions of space that can be explored by magnetic field lines that pass in the vicinity of null and X-points. Traditional reconnection theories made the assumption that the reconnected magnetic flux must be dissipated or diffused by an electric field. This assumption is false in three dimensional systems because an ideal evolution can cause magnetic field lines that cover a large volume to approach each other within the indistinguishability scale c/$$\omega_\rho$$e. When the electron-ion collision time τei is short compared to the evolution time of the magnetic field τev, the importance of c/$$\omega_\rho$$e is replaced by the resistive time scale $$\tau$$$$_\eta$$=($$\eta$$/$$\mu$$0)L2 with L being the system scale. The magnetic Reynolds number Rm≡$$\tau$$$$\eta$$/$$\tau$$e$$_\nu$$ is enormous in many reconnection problems of interest. Magnetic flux diffusion implies the current density required for reconnection to compete with evolution scales as Rm, while flux mixing implies the required current density to compete scales as ln Rm.
- Publication Date:
- Research Org.:
- Columbia Univ., New York, NY (United States)
- Sponsoring Org.:
- USDOE Office of Science (SC)
- OSTI Identifier:
- 1800136
- Alternate Identifier(s):
- OSTI ID: 1576865
- Grant/Contract Number:
- FG02-03ER54696; FG02-95ER54333; SC0018424; SC0019479
- Resource Type:
- Accepted Manuscript
- Journal Name:
- Physics of Plasmas
- Additional Journal Information:
- Journal Volume: 26; Journal Issue: 12; Journal ID: ISSN 1070-664X
- Publisher:
- American Institute of Physics (AIP)
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- 70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY; Physics; Coordinate system; Magnetic fields; Magnetic reconnection; Tokamaks; Electromagnetism
Citation Formats
Boozer, Allen H. Magnetic reconnection with null and X-points. United States: N. p., 2019.
Web. doi:10.1063/1.5121320.
Boozer, Allen H. Magnetic reconnection with null and X-points. United States. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5121320
Boozer, Allen H. Tue .
"Magnetic reconnection with null and X-points". United States. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5121320. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1800136.
@article{osti_1800136,
title = {Magnetic reconnection with null and X-points},
author = {Boozer, Allen H.},
abstractNote = {Null and X-points are not themselves directly important to magnetic reconnection because distinguishable field lines do not approach them closely. Even in a collision-free plasma, magnetic field lines that approach each other on a scale c/$\omega_\rho$e become indistinguishable during an evolution. What is important is the different regions of space that can be explored by magnetic field lines that pass in the vicinity of null and X-points. Traditional reconnection theories made the assumption that the reconnected magnetic flux must be dissipated or diffused by an electric field. This assumption is false in three dimensional systems because an ideal evolution can cause magnetic field lines that cover a large volume to approach each other within the indistinguishability scale c/$\omega_\rho$e. When the electron-ion collision time τei is short compared to the evolution time of the magnetic field τev, the importance of c/$\omega_\rho$e is replaced by the resistive time scale $\tau$$_\eta$=($\eta$/$\mu$0)L2 with L being the system scale. The magnetic Reynolds number Rm≡$\tau$$\eta$/$\tau$e$_\nu$ is enormous in many reconnection problems of interest. Magnetic flux diffusion implies the current density required for reconnection to compete with evolution scales as Rm, while flux mixing implies the required current density to compete scales as ln Rm.},
doi = {10.1063/1.5121320},
journal = {Physics of Plasmas},
number = 12,
volume = 26,
place = {United States},
year = {Tue Dec 03 00:00:00 EST 2019},
month = {Tue Dec 03 00:00:00 EST 2019}
}
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