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At least 271 records · Page 15

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NASA NTRS1974

Magnetopause reconnection rate

Discussion of certain aspects of the magnetic field reconnection process at the magnetopause. It is argued that the upper limits on reconnection derived by Petschek (1964), on the one hand, and Yeh and Axford (1970) and Sonnerup (1970), on the other, may be reconciled, at least qualitatively. Further, the possibility that magnetopause reconnection proceeds at this upper limit remains a real one. It is demonstrated that under the same assumptions as those used by Petschek (1964, 1966) the theoretical upper limit on the electric field component parallel to the X type magnetic null line is proportional to sin squared (theta/2) when the magnetic fields on the two sides of the magnetopause have equal magnitude. Finally, it is shown that when the magnetic field outside the magnetopause is weaker than the field inside that surface, reconnection may cease altogether for cos theta greater than the ratio of the outside field to the inside one.

Sonnerup, B. U. O.↗

NASA NTRS1974

A quantitative model for the potential resulting from reconnection with an arbitrary interplanetary magnetic field

A quantitative three-dimensional model is proposed for the electric potential arising from magnetopause reconnection, in which several approximations are made concerning configuration of the magnetosheath flow, limitations on the magnitude of the reconnection speed, and the geometry of the problem. These approximations are such that the model yields an upper limit for the potential. The magnitude of the polar cap ionospheric electric field computed from this model is larger than that measured on balloons by an average factor of about 3, and the model reproduces the temporal variations of the experimental data. It is concluded that magnetopause reconnection is a highly efficient process that is probably the dominant mechanism driving polar cap convection and supplying energy to the magnetosphere. It seems that the most efficient way for the solar wind to pass the magnetospheric obstacle is by magnetopause reconnection.

Gonzalez, W. D.↗

NASA NTRS1981

Leakage of magnetospheric ions into the magnetosheath along reconnected field lines at the dayside magnetopause

Strong evidence is presented for escape of magnetospheric particles along reconnected field lines into the magnetosheath, using observations of approximately 30 to approximately 120-keV/charge protons and alpha particles made by the Max-Planck-Institut/University of Maryland instrument on Isee 1. During three magnetopause crossings, which have been identified from tangential stress balance analysis as reconnection events, the magnetospheric particle distribution extends well into the magnetosheath, and the particles in the magnetosheath show a strong anisotropy along the magnetic field. The proton to alpha particle ratio in this layer as well as in distinct bursts within the magnetosheath is the same as this ratio within the magnetosphere (at equal energy per charge). It is concluded that the most likely explanation for these observations is that magnetospheric particles are escaping along reconnected field lines into the magnetosheath. It is argued that magnetospheric particles are seen in the magnetosheath up to the reconnection separatrix, and the magnetosheath bursts are interpreted as multiple encounters of this magnetosheath layer by the satellite due to boundary motions.

Scholer, M.↗

NASA NTRS1981

Interplanetary gas. XXVI - On the reconnection of magnetic fields in cometary ionospheres at interplanetary sector boundary crossings

The reconnection process in the cometary ionosphere believed responsible for the disconnecting plasma tails phenomenon is studied through the basic equations of reconnection theory and current sheet instability criteria. It is proposed that reconnection occurs when the interplanetary magnetic fields incident on a comet that has gone just past a sector boundary are pressed into the fields captured from the previous sector. The fields are of opposite polarity, and the previously captured fields constitute the 'roots' of the plasma tail. An estimated duration of reconnection during a disconnection event (DE) of 0.75 days is used along with estimates of other cometary parameters to construct fusion region dimensions and resistivity with the adopted time scale.

Niedner, M. B., Jr.↗

NASA NTRS1983

Reconnection rates, small scale structures and simulations

The study of reconnection in the context of one fluid, two dimensional magnetohydrodynamics (MHD), with spatially uniform constant density, viscosity and resistivity is though to retain most of the physics important in reconnection. Much of the existing reconnection literature makes use of this approach. This discussion focuses on attempts to determine the properties of reconnection solutions to MHD as precisely as possible without regard to the intrinsic limitations of the model.

Matthaeus, W. H.↗

NASA NTRS1984

Particle acceleration by turbulent magnetohydro-dynamic reconnection

Test particles in a two dimensional, turbulent MHD simulation are found to undergo significant acceleration. The magnetic field configuration is a periodic sheet pinch which undergoes reconnection. The test particles are trapped in the reconnection region for times of order an Alfven transit time in the large electric fields that characterize the turbulent reconnection process at the relatively large magnetic Reynolds number used in the simulation. The maximum speed attained by these particles is consistent with an analytic estimate which depends on the reconnection electric field, the Alfven speed, and the ratio of Larmor period to the Alfven transit time.

Matthaeus, W. H.↗

NASA NTRS1984

Particle-acceleration by turbulent magnetohydrodynamic reconnection

Matthaeus, W. H.↗

NASA NTRS1984

Reconnection at the earth's magnetopause - Magnetic field observations and flux transfer events

Theoretical models of plasma acceleration by magnetic-field-line reconnection at the earth magnetopause and the high-resolution three-dimensional plasma measurements obtained with the ISEE satellites are compared and illustrated with diagrams, graphs, drawings, and histograms. The history of reconnection theory and the results of early satellite observations are summarized; the thickness of the magnetopause current layer is discussed; problems in analyzing the polarization of current-layer rotation are considered; and the flux-transfer events responsible for periods of patchy reconnection are characterized in detail. The need for further observations and refinements of the theory to explain the initiation of reconnection and identify the mechanism determining whether it is patchy or steady-state is indicated.

Russell, C. T.↗

NASA NTRS1986

New models for fast steady state magnetic reconnection

A new unified family of models for incompressible, steady-state magnetic reconnection in a finite region is presented. The models are obtained by expanding in powers of the Alfven Mach number and may be used to elucidate some of the puzzling properties of numerical experiments on reconnection which are not present in the classical models. The conditions imposed on the inflow boundary of the finite region determine which member of the family occurs. Petscheklien and Sonnerup like solutions are particular members. The Sonneruplike regime is a special case of a weak slow mode expansion in the inflow region, and it separates two classes of members with reversed currents. The Petscheklike regime is a singular case of a weak fast mode expansion, and it separates the hybrid regime from a regime of slow mode compressions. Care should be taken in deciding which type of reconnection is operating in a numerical experiment. Indeed, no experiment to date has used boundary conditions appropriate for demonstrating steady state Petschek reconnection.

Priest, E. R.↗

NASA NTRS1987

Magnetosheath quasi-trapped distributions and ion flows associated with reconnection

Using a sample of ISEE 1 and 2 magnetopause crossings previously identified as times of quasi-steady reconnection, flows of medium energy ions in the magnetosheath are identified. The paper then investigates the particle pitch angle distribution immediately before and after each of these events for the signature of quasi-trapped distributions of energetic ions. Several of the ion flows identified were observed simultaneously with previously identified flux transfer events (FTEs). While FTEs identified from the magnetometer tracings typically show evidence of ion flows, the converse is not necessarily true. However, all properties of the magnetosheath ion flows are the same regardless of whether an FTE can be identified from the magnetometer data. Evidence is found for small-scale reconnection processes (FTEs, ion flows) embedded within a larger region of interconnected field, which is traced out by the quasi-trapped particles. Quasi-trapped distributions of medium-energy ions are seen to sandwich reconnection-associated ion flows in the magnetosheath. The results of this survey have been used to suggest a morphology for reconnection events that incorporates both large- and small-scale features.

Neff, J. E.↗

NASA NTRS1987

A comparison of analytical and numerical models for steadily driven magnetic reconnection

The effect of boundary conditions in both analytical and numerical solutions of steadily driven reconnection on the reconnection of antiparallel magnetic fields is considered, with special attention given to the mathematical problem of properly specifying boundary conditions for the MHD equation. A unified formulation developed by Priest and Forbes (1986) for steady state reconnection, which includes the Petschek solution and the Sonnerup (1970) solution as special cases, is used to reinterpret the previous numerical experiments of steadily driven reconnection. It is shown that many contradictory features of these experiments were caused by the use of boundary conditions which are different from those required by Petschek's (1964) theory.

Forbes, T. G.↗

NASA NTRS1988

Test particle acceleration in turbulent reconnecting magnetic fields

The effect of turbulence on particle acceleration in a MHD field was investigated by computing test particle trajectories in turbulent MHD reconnecting fields, including reconnection simulations at different magnetic Reynolds numbers. The dynamics of individual particles were investigated making it possible to examine the acceleration mechanism in great detail. It was found that turbulence influences the acceleration in two ways. It enhances the reconnection electric field while producing a stochastic electric field that gives rise to momentum diffusion; and it produces magnetic 'bubbles' and other irregularities that can temporarily trap test particles in the strong reconnection electric field for times comparable to the magnetofluid characteristic time.

Ambrosiano, John↗

NASA NTRS1989

Magnetic reconnection in partially ionized gases

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.

Zweibel, Ellen G.↗

NASA NTRS1990

Three dimensional reconnection in astrophysical plasmas

Theoretical issues related to three-dimensional reconnection and its application to the space and astrophysical environment are reviewed. Consideration is given to the meaning of reconnection in three dimensions, the way in which periodic and nonperiodic magnetic topologies alter the physics of reconnections, and the effects of chaotic magnetic fields on the reconnection process.

Spicer, D. S.↗

NASA NTRS1990

Magnetic reconnection, merging, and viscous interaction in the magnetosphere

This paper discusses the historical development of the reconnection theory, with consideration given to the effects of a magnetic field within the plasma and the mechanisms of magnetic reconnection, merging, and viscouslike interaction. Particular attention is given to Dungey's (1958, 1961) steady-state reconnection model of the magnetosphere and to its criticism. Observational evidence supporting the reconnection model is presented.

Heikkila, W. J.↗

NASA NTRS1992

A comparison and review of steady-state and time-varying reconnection

Extensions of Petschek's (1964) analysis are reviewed and used to investigate the steady-state and time-dependent reconnection in a current sheet geometry of the type observed at the magnetopause. It is shown that steady-state reconnection appears as a very special case in a time-dependent analysis. A single theoretical framework is proposed for interpreting reconnection phenomena at the magnetopause and for investigating the characteristics of dayside reconnection.

Semenov, V. S.↗

NASA NTRS1992

Does fast magnetic reconnection exist?

The main features of the Priest-Forbes (1986) and Priest-Lee (1990) models of magnetic reconnection in astrophysical plasmas are discussed, and the Priest-Lee model is generalized to include inflow pressure gradients and thus different regimes of reconnection. It is shown that different scaling results can be obtained depending on the boundary conditions. These results are compared to the ones observed in the numerical experiments of Biskamp (1986) and Lee and Fu (1986). It is concluded that numerical experiments with suitably designed boundary conditions are likely to exhibit fast reconnection, and that such reconnection is a common process in astrophysical and space plasmas.

Priest, E. R.↗

NASA NTRS1993

Magnetic reconnection with large separatrix angles

The magnetic reconnection process is studied here using incompressible MHD simulations with different inflow boundary conditions and different magnetic Reynolds numbers R(m). The angle between the magnetic separatrices is in steady state reconnection depends mainly on the normal magnetic field on the inflow boundary. In steady state nonuniform reconnection with large separatrix angles, field-aligned plasma jets appear slightly downstream of the magnetic separatrices. The field-aligned plasma jet are stronger when R(m) is larger. Each field-aligned plasma jet consists of two parts: a slow shock and a fast-mode compressional wave. The slow shock converts the magnetic energy into plasma kinetic energy by acceleration and heating. The fast-mode compressional wave decelerates the plasma to a smaller outflow speed and heats it further. Nearly all the magnetic energy flowing into the diffusion region is converted into other forms. The length and width of the diffusion region depend on the values of the reconnection rate, R(m), and the normal magnetic field on the inflow boundary.

Yan, M.↗