Magnetic reconnection in a compressible MHD plasma
Abstract
Using steady-state resistive MHD, magnetic reconnection is reinvestigated for conditions of high resistivity/low magnetic Reynolds number, when the thickness of the diffusion region is no longer small compared to its length. Implicit expressions for the reconnection rate and other reconnection parameters are derived based on the requirements of mass, momentum, and energy conservation. These expressions are solved via simple iterative procedures. Implications specifically for low Reynolds number/high resistivity are being discussed.
- Publication:
-
Physics of Plasmas
- Pub Date:
- April 2011
- DOI:
- 10.1063/1.3581077
- Bibcode:
- 2011PhPl...18d2104H
- Keywords:
-
- iterative methods;
- magnetic reconnection;
- plasma magnetohydrodynamics;
- plasma transport processes;
- 52.35.Vd;
- 52.30.Cv;
- 52.25.Fi;
- 02.60.-x;
- Magnetic reconnection;
- Magnetohydrodynamics;
- Transport properties;
- Numerical approximation and analysis