The inner structure of collisionless magnetic reconnection: The electron-frame dissipation measure and Hall fields

Zenitani, Seiji; Hesse, Michael; Klimas, A. J.; Black, Carrie; Кузнецова, М. М.

doi:10.1063/1.3662430

Cited by 44 publications

(57 citation statements)

References 33 publications

(123 reference statements)

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“…In the quasi-stationary regime, we find approximately the same reconnection rate. This result is compatible with our theoretical result, which predicts that fast reconnection rate is insensitive to the electron to proton mass ratio even though it needs to be nonzero for reconnection to take place Zenitani et al, 2011; see also Andr es et al, 2014b).…”

Section: B Quasi-stationary Magnetic Reconnectionsupporting

confidence: 82%

Influence of the Hall effect and electron inertia in collisionless magnetic reconnection

2016

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We study the role of the Hall current and electron inertia in collisionless magnetic reconnection within the framework of full two-fluid MHD. At spatial scales smaller than the electron inertial length, a topological change of magnetic field lines exclusively due to electron inertia becomes possible. Assuming stationary conditions, we derive a theoretical scaling for the reconnection rate, which is simply proportional to the Hall parameter. Using a pseudo-spectral code with no dissipative effects, our numerical results confirm this theoretical scaling. In particular, for a sequence of different Hall parameter values, our numerical results show that the width of the current sheet is independent of the Hall parameter while its thickness is of the order of the electron inertial length, thus confirming that the stationary reconnection rate is proportional to the Hall parameter.

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Section: B Quasi-stationary Magnetic Reconnectionsupporting

confidence: 82%

Influence of the Hall effect and electron inertia in collisionless magnetic reconnection

2016

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“…66 The parameters and system evolution are similar to those in run 1A in Ref. 64 on the electron-scale structure. Several aspects of this reconnection system were presented in these papers.…”

mentioning

confidence: 59%

“…We study this time step, because we studied other aspects in our previous studies, 64,66 and because it is early enough to avoid major effects from the periodic boundary in x. In fact, the electron jet continues to evolve until t % 44, 64 but minor boundary effects appear in particle signatures at t % 35, as will be shown later. Figure 2 shows the various fluid and field quantities of our PIC simulation at t ¼ 35.…”

Section: Fluid Quantitiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Pseudo-3D PIC modeling of drift-induced spatial inhomogeneities in planar magnetron plasmas

2016

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Particle dynamics in the electron current layer in collisionless magnetic reconnection is investigated by using a particle-in-cell simulation. The electron motion and velocity distribution functions are studied by tracking self-consistent trajectories. New classes of electron orbits are discovered: figure-eight-shaped regular orbits inside the electron jet, noncrossing regular orbits on the jet flanks, noncrossing Speiser orbits, and nongyrotropic electrons in the downstream of the jet termination region. The properties of a super-Alfv enic outflow jet are attributed to an ensemble of electrons traveling through the Speiser orbits. The noncrossing orbits are mediated by the polarization electric field near the electron current layer. The noncrossing electrons are found to be non-negligible in number density. The impact of these new orbits to electron mixing, spatial distribution of energetic electrons, and observational signatures is presented.

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“…However, the reconnection rate in the present model is still slower than that in kinetic models. 31,32 The Hall-MHD model is thought to be a minimal model for fast reconnection. 33 Terasawa 34 carried out a linear analysis of the resistive tearing instability including the Hall effect and argued that the thickness of the vortex is broader than the current and the broad vortex flow is expected to enhance the reconnection.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Boosting magnetic reconnection by viscosity and thermal conduction

2016

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Nonlinear evolution of magnetic reconnection is investigated by means of magnetohydrodynamic simulations including uniform resistivity, uniform viscosity, and anisotropic thermal conduction. When viscosity exceeds resistivity (the magnetic Prandtl number P r m > 1), the viscous dissipation dominates outflow dynamics and leads to the decrease in the plasma density inside a current sheet. The low-density current sheet supports the excitation of the vortex. The thickness of the vortex is broader than that of the current for P r m > 1. The broader vortex flow more efficiently carries the upstream magnetic flux toward the reconnection region, and consequently boosts the reconnection. The reconnection rate increases with viscosity provided that thermal conduction is fast enough to take away the thermal energy increased by the viscous dissipation (the fluid Prandtl number P r < 1). The result suggests the need to control the Prandtl numbers for the reconnection against the conventional resistive model.

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The inner structure of collisionless magnetic reconnection: The electron-frame dissipation measure and Hall fields

Cited by 44 publications

References 33 publications

Influence of the Hall effect and electron inertia in collisionless magnetic reconnection

Influence of the Hall effect and electron inertia in collisionless magnetic reconnection

Pseudo-3D PIC modeling of drift-induced spatial inhomogeneities in planar magnetron plasmas

Boosting magnetic reconnection by viscosity and thermal conduction

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