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Collisionless reconnection in an electron-positron plasma.

N Bessho1, A Bhattacharjee

  • 1Space Science Center and Center for Magnetic Self-Organization, Institute for the Study of Earth, Oceans, and Space, University of New Hampshire, Durham, New Hampshire 03824, USA.

Physical Review Letters
|December 31, 2005
PubMed
Summary

Fast magnetic reconnection in electron-positron plasmas is driven by localized pressure tensor effects, not Hall currents. This finding is crucial for understanding plasma dynamics in astrophysical and laboratory settings.

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Area of Science:

  • Plasma Physics
  • Astrophysics
  • Computational Electromagnetics

Background:

  • Collisionless magnetic reconnection is a fundamental process in plasma physics.
  • Electron-positron plasmas are relevant to astrophysical phenomena like pulsar wind nebulae and black hole jets.
  • Previous models often relied on the Hall effect for fast reconnection, but this is not always applicable.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the mechanism of fast collisionless magnetic reconnection in a 2D electron-positron plasma without a guide field.
  • To identify the key physical factors enabling rapid reconnection in this specific plasma environment.
  • To present a generalized Ohm's law applicable to these conditions.

Main Methods:

  • Electromagnetic particle-in-cell (PIC) simulations were employed.

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  • The simulations focused on a two-dimensional, collisionless electron-positron plasma.
  • Analysis included examining generalized Ohm's law and pressure tensor components.

    • Main Results:

    • A generalized Ohm's law was derived where the Hall current term cancels out exactly.
    • Fast reconnection was observed and attributed to the localization effect of off-diagonal pressure tensor components.
    • This localization effect mimics a spatially localized resistivity, driving the reconnection.

    Conclusions:

    • The Hall current does not drive fast reconnection in this 2D electron-positron plasma.
    • Off-diagonal pressure tensor components are key to localizing the reconnection region.
    • The findings offer a new perspective on fast reconnection mechanisms in pair plasmas.