Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astrophysics
Scientific paper
May 1989
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1989apj...340..550z&link_type=abstract
Astrophysical Journal, Part 1 (ISSN 0004-637X), vol. 340, May 1, 1989, p. 550-557. Research supported by Cambridge University.
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Astrophysics
51
Gas-Ion Interactions, Ionized Gases, Magnetic Field Reconnection, Molecular Clouds, Space Plasmas, Interstellar Gas, Solar Prominences, Tearing Modes (Plasmas), Time Dependence
Scientific paper
Magnetic field lines in a plasma reconnect at a rate scaled by the Alfven speed. In a partially ionized gas there are two natural Alfven speeds: one determined by the ionized mass density alone, which applies when ion-neutral friction is negligible, and one determined by the total mass density, which applies when ion-neutral friction is strong. When the ionization fraction is low, as in a dense molecular cloud, these two speeds differ by several orders of magnitude. Both time-dependent tearing modes and steady-state magnetic reconnection in partially ionized gas are considered, and the regimes in which the charged and neutral components are strongly, intermediately, and weakly coupled are delineated. Molecular clouds are probably in the intermediate regime, while reconnection in solar prominences probably has strong ion-neutral coupling. Reconnection proceeds more rapidly when coupling is not strong.
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