Fast magnetic reconnection in the plasmoid-dominated regime

A conceptual model of resistive magnetic reconnection via a stochastic plasmoid chain is proposed. The global reconnection rate is shown to be independent of the Lundquist number. The distribution of fluxes in the plasmoids is shown to be an inverse-square law. It is argued that there is a finite pr...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inPhysical review letters Vol. 105; no. 23; p. 235002
Main Authors Uzdensky, D A, Loureiro, N F, Schekochihin, A A
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published United States 01.12.2010
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Summary:A conceptual model of resistive magnetic reconnection via a stochastic plasmoid chain is proposed. The global reconnection rate is shown to be independent of the Lundquist number. The distribution of fluxes in the plasmoids is shown to be an inverse-square law. It is argued that there is a finite probability of emergence of abnormally large plasmoids, which can disrupt the chain (and may be responsible for observable large abrupt events in solar flares and sawtooth crashes). A criterion for the transition from the resistive magnetohydrodynamic to the collisionless regime is provided.
ISSN:1079-7114
DOI:10.1103/physrevlett.105.235002