Forced Magnetic Reconnection at an X-point: Comparative Fluid and Fully Kinetic Studies

Details Forced Magnetic Reconnection at an X-point: Comparative Fluid and Fully Kinetic Studies Forced Magnetic Reconnection at an X-point: Comparative Fluid and Fully Kinetic Studies

Dec 2011

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2011agufmsm23b2049w&link_type=abstract

American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting 2011, abstract #SM23B-2049

Physics

Plasma Physics

[7526] Solar Physics, Astrophysics, And Astronomy / Magnetic Reconnection, [7835] Space Plasma Physics / Magnetic Reconnection

Scientific paper

We have undertaken a challenge problem of investigating current sheet formation and the resulting magnetic reconnection at an X-point of an initially potential field by a suite of MHD, Hall MHD, and fully electromagnetic PIC codes, all with the same initial conditions. Our goals are to investigate the similarities and differences between the various physical models, and to seek suitable parameterization of kinetic effects in the fluid models. We use two types of forcing: (i) shearing flows at the boundaries, and (ii) pressure perturbations imposed in two spatial domains on opposite sides of the initial separatrix. In both cases the system is driven slowly compared to the characterstic Alfven speed, and the forcing is far from the initial separatrices. While both the fluid and PIC models show current sheet formation and magnetic reconnection, the reconnection onset, the rate, and the energy released show significant differences. We will present scaling results in the fluid as well as PIC simulations, and discuss reasons for the differences between them. We also discuss possible extensions of the MHD model in order to reconcile it with the PIC model. This challenge problem is carried out under the auspices of a Focus Team in the NASA Living With a Star Targeted Research and Technology Program.

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