A Comparison of Waves in the Lower-Hybrid Frequency Range in Reconnecting Current Sheets in Space and the MRX

Waves in the lower-hybrid frequency range may play important roles in the reconnection onset, such as providing a source for anomalous resistivity or modifying the current profile. Such waves have been observed in current sheets in space and in the Magnetic Reconnection eXperiment (MRX) at Princeton. Here we compare the spatial distribution and beta-dependence of these waves observed in space with those observed in the lab. It is found that the waves are localized around the current sheet area and their amplitude is small at high beta. Moreover, in thick current sheets the waves are localized on the edge of the current sheet and are primarily electrostatic. However, in thin current sheets, such as the case in the MRX, the waves have a significant magnetic component and are localized in the center of the current sheet.