Recent studies in satellite observations of three-dimensional magnetic reconnection

• Published in: Science China. Technological sciences Vol. 50; no. 3; pp. 380 - 384
• Main Authors: Xiao, ChiJie, Wang, XiaoGang, Pu, ZuYin, Ma, ZhiWei, Zhao, Hui, Zhou, GuiPing, Wang, JingXiu, Liu, ZhenXing
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Heidelberg Springer Nature B.V 01.06.2007; National Astronomical Observatories, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100012, China%School of Physics, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China%School of Earth and Space Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China%Institute for Fusion Theory and Simulation, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, China%Center for Space Science and Applied Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100080, China
• Subjects: Boundary conditions; Coronal mass ejection; Kinetic energy; Magnetospheres; Plasmas (physics); Satellite observation; Solar corona; Solar flares; Space plasmas; Stability analysis; null; separatrix; separator; magnetic reconnection; X-line; X-point
• ISSN: 1006-9321; 1674-7321; 1862-281X; 1869-1900
• DOI: 10.1007/s11431-007-0046-9

Magnetic reconnection is a main process converting the magnetic energy into thermal and kinetic energy in plasmas. It is one of the fundamental problems of crucial importance not only to space plasmas physics and space weather studies, such as the solar flare, coronal mass ejections and magnetospheric substorms, but also to the stability analysis in magnetically confined fusion. In general, except for cases with periodical boundary conditions, three-dimensional (3D) magnetic reconnection occurs on magnetic separatrices generated by magnetic nulls. Here we briefly introduce/review the theories and some recent satellite observations of 3D magnetic reconnection. Topics to be further studied are also discussed.