MAGNETIC-FIELD DISSIPATION AND FRACTAL MODEL OF CURRENT SHEETS

A model of magnetic field dissipation is suggested, which possesses fe atures of both the Kolmogorov model of turbulence of ideal fluid and t he Sweet-Parker model of magnetic reconnection. It is suggested that c urrent sheets are smooth along the magnetic lines but have fractal str ucture in the transverse dimension. The fractal dimension d = 2.5 of t he current sheet was found instead of d = 3 in Kolmogorov-like models and d = 2 in the Sweet-Parker model. The reconnection time is the geom etrical mean of the Alfven time and the Sweet-Parker time. The magneti c energy dissipation time can be even shorter, up to the Alfven time. (C) 1997 American Institute of Physics.