HR: 1340h
AN: SM23A-0400    [Abstracts]
TI: Universality of the reconnection physics
AU: Delzanno, G
EM: delzanno@lanl.gov
AF: LANL, T-15 Plasma Theory Group, Los Alamos, NM 87545 United States
AU: * Lapenta, G
EM: lapenta@lanl.gov
AF: LANL, T-15 Plasma Theory Group, Los Alamos, NM 87545 United States
AU: Ricci, P
EM: Paolo.Ricci@Dartmouth.edu
AF: Dartmouth College, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Hanover, NH 00000 United States
AB: We are not attempting to get into the issue of whether the reconnection rate is universal. Rather we identify how general the mechanisms involved in reconnection are. We consider two primary classes of mechanisms. First, in the outer dissipation region, different mechanisms have been identified to decouple electrons and ions [1]. Second, in the inner dissipation layer, different mechanisms have been identified to decouple electrons from the magnetic field lines, allowing breaking of the frozen in conditions [1]. We investigate how universal are the mechanisms when different equilibria (including Harris, Harris with guide field and different force free equilibria), different plasma parameters, forcing mechanisms and boundary conditions are used. The choice of the conditions covers situations typical of space, solar, astrophysical and laboratory plasmas. [1] P. Ricci, J.U. Brackbill, W.S. Daughton, G. Lapenta, Phys. Plasmas, 11, 4102, 2004.
DE: 2723 Magnetic reconnection (7526, 7835)
SC: SPA-Magnetospheric Physics [SM]
MN: Fall Meeting 2005