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arXiv · 0810.3278

A model of Hall reconnection

Leonid M. Malyshkin
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Abstract

The rate of quasi-stationary, two-dimensional magnetic reconnection is calculated in the framework of incompressible Hall magnetohydrodynamics (MHD). The calculation is based on the solution of Hall-MHD equations that include Hall and electron pressure terms for electric current. These equations are solved in a local region across the reconnection electron layer, including only the upstream region and the layer center. In the case when the ion inertial length d_i is larger than the Sweet-Parker reconnection layer thickness, the dimensionless reconnection rate is found to be independent of the electrical resistivity and equal to d_i/L, where L is the scale length of the external magnetic field in the upstream region outside the electron layer.

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Leonid M. Malyshkin. 2008-12-17. A model of Hall reconnection. https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevlett.101.225001

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