Particle distributions in collisionless magnetic reconnection: An implicit Particle-In-Cell (PIC) description
Evidence from magnetospheric and solar flare research supports the belief that collisionless magnetic reconnection can proceed on the Alfven-wave crossing timescale. Reconnection behavior that occurs this rapidly in collisionless plasmas is not well understood because underlying mechanisms depend on the details of the ion and electron distributions in the vicinity of the emerging X-points. We use the direct implicit Particle-In-Cell (PIC) code AVANTI to study the details of these distributions as they evolve in the self-consistent E and B fields of magnetic reconnection. We first consider a simple neutral sheet model. We observe rapid movement of the current-carrying electrons away from the emerging X-point. Later in time an oscillation of the trapped magnetic flux is found, superimposed upon continued linear growth due to plasma inflow at the ion sound speed. The addition of a current-aligned and a normal B field widen the scope of our studies.
- Research Organization:
- Lawrence Livermore National Lab., CA (USA)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- DOE/DP
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-48
- OSTI ID:
- 6474622
- Report Number(s):
- UCRL-JC-104418; CONF-9006220-5; ON: DE91000404
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 28. COSPAR plenary conference, The Hague (Netherlands), 25 Jun - 6 Jul 1990
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Direct implicit simulation of collisionless magnetic reconnection
Magnetic reconnection during collisionless, stressed, X-point collapse using particle-in-cell simulation
Related Subjects
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
COLLISIONLESS PLASMA
MAGNETIC RECONNECTION
DISTRIBUTION
ALFVEN WAVES
EARTH MAGNETOSPHERE
PHASE SPACE
PLASMA SIMULATION
SOLAR FLARES
EARTH ATMOSPHERE
HYDROMAGNETIC WAVES
MATHEMATICAL SPACE
PLASMA
SIMULATION
SOLAR ACTIVITY
SPACE
700202* - Fusion Power Plant Technology- Magnet Coils & Fields
640201 - Atmospheric Physics- Auroral
Ionospheric
& Magetospheric Phenomena
640104 - Astrophysics & Cosmology- Solar Phenomena