arXiv subjects
Publications and source records attributed to E. Alec Johnson.
We simulate magnetic reconnection in the GEM problem using a two-fluid model with 10 moments for the electron fluid as well as the proton fluid. We show that use of 10 moments for electrons gives good qualitative agreement with the the electron pressure tensor components in published kinetic simulations.
For the first time to our knowledge, we demonstrate fast magnetic reconnection near a magnetic null point in a fluid model of collisionless pair plasma without resorting to the contrivance of anomalous resistivity. In particular, we demonstrate that fast reconnection occurs in an anisotropic adiabatic two-fluid model of collisionless pair plasma with relaxation toward isotropy for a broad range of isotropization rates. For very rapid isotropization we see fast reconnection, but instabilities eventually arise that cause numerical error and cast doubt on the simulated behavior.