Alfven resonances and forced reconnection

The correspondence between the forced magnetic reconnection induced by pert urbing the boundary of the simple Taylor model and the surface-wave-induced magnetic reconnection given by Alfven resonance theory is pointed out expl icitly by showing that the theory of forced magnetic reconnection is actual ly embedded in the Alfven resonance theory. The advantages of viewing the f orced reconnection as surface-wave-induced reconnection are briefly discuss ed in the context of the formation of small-scale structures at the magneto spheric boundary and solar coronal heating.