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Dynamic magnetic reconnection in three space dimensions: Fan current solutions

Abstract
The problem of incompressible, nonlinear magnetic reconnection in three-dimensional "open" geometries is considered. An analytic treatment shows that dynamic "fan current" reconnection may be driven by superposing long wavelength, finite amplitude, plane wave disturbances onto three-dimensional magnetic X-points. The nonlinear reconnection of the field is preceded by an advection phase in which magnetic shear waves drive large currents as they localize in the vicinity of the magnetic null. Analytic arguments, reinforced by detailed simulations, show that the ohmic dissipation rate can be independent of the plasma resistivity if the merging is suitably driven.
Type
Journal Article
Type of thesis
Series
Citation
Craig, I. J. D. & Fabling, R. B. (1998). Dynamic magnetic reconnection in three space dimensions: Fan current solutions. Physics of Plasmas, 635.
Date
1998-03
Publisher
Degree
Supervisors
Rights
Copyright 1998 American Institute of Physics. This article may be downloaded for personal use only. Any other use requires prior permission of the author and the American Institute of Physics. The following article appeared in the journal Physics of Plasmas and may be found at http://jmp.aip.org/jmp/top.jsp