Physics – Plasma Physics
Scientific paper
Oct 2010
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2010jgra..11510223m&link_type=abstract
Journal of Geophysical Research, Volume 115, Issue A10, CiteID A10223
Physics
Plasma Physics
2
Magnetospheric Physics: Magnetic Reconnection (7526, 7835), Solar Physics, Astrophysics, And Astronomy: Magnetic Reconnection (2723, 7835), Space Plasma Physics: Magnetic Reconnection (2723, 7526), Magnetospheric Physics: Solar Wind/Magnetosphere Interactions
Scientific paper
Recently, Cassak and Shay (2007) applied a generalized Sweet-Parker analysis to derive scaling laws for gross properties of asymmetric magnetic reconnection, including the reconnection rate, outflow speed, and outflow density. This study presents the first comprehensive test of this scaling theory using fully electromagnetic particle-in-cell simulations of antiparallel asymmetric magnetic reconnection. By varying the upstream densities and magnetic fields, we find that the reconnection rates, outflow speeds, and outflow densities are consistent with the general scaling theory. This implies that kinetic electron and proton physics beyond the Hall term does not fundamentally alter the gross properties of the asymmetric diffusion region as understood in Cassak and Shay (2007). In addition, the results confirm the validity of the assumption of mixing of particles on recently reconnected flux tubes, which is of key importance for accurately predicting the location of the flow stagnation point in the diffusion region.
Bard Christopher
Cassak Paul A.
Malakit K.
Shay Michael A.
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