Long time scale evolution of collisionless driven reconnection in a two-dimensional open system

Citation
Wb. Pei et al., Long time scale evolution of collisionless driven reconnection in a two-dimensional open system, PHYS PLASMA, 8(7), 2001, pp. 3251-3257
Citations number
27
Categorie Soggetti
Physics
Journal title
PHYSICS OF PLASMAS
ISSN journal
1070664X → ACNP
Volume
8
Issue
7
Year of publication
2001
Pages
3251 - 3257
Database
ISI
SICI code
1070-664X(200107)8:7<3251:LTSEOC>2.0.ZU;2-I
Abstract
Long time scale evolution of collisionless driven reconnection in an open s ystem is investigated by means of two-dimensional full particle simulation based on an open boundary model. Collisionless reconnection is externally d riven by the plasma inflow, which is mainly controlled by two key parameter s of an external driving electric field, i.e., the strength E-0 and the ear ly nonuniformity scale x(d). The strength E-0 controls reconnection rate, w hile the scale x(d) controls the current layer shape and thus the magnetic- field configuration. It is found that the dynamical behavior of collisionle ss reconnection is sensitive to x(d) and less to E-0 in our simulation para meter range. In the small x(d) case, the system evolves toward a steady sta te in which the reconnection rate is balanced with the external driving fie ld E-0. As x(d) increases, the reconnection evolution exhibits an intermitt ent phenomenon because of the frequent excitation of magnetic islands near the original X point. (C) 2001 American Institute of Physics.