Abstract Details
Abstracts
Author: Jacob A Maddox
Requested Type: Pre-Selected Invited
Submitted: 2019-02-22 14:39:40
Co-authors: C.R.Sovinec
Contact Info:
UW Madison
422 N Paterson 2
Madison, WI 53703
Dane
Abstract Text:
Magnetic reconnection can convert magnetic energy into thermal energy on timescales that are short relative to global resistive diffusion. Thus, while fast reconnection occurs on microscopic scales, it has significant implications for evolution on macroscopic scales. We present 2D resistive MHD computations that evolve from global resistive evolution through linear tearing and island formation, to current-sheet formation and rapid plasmoid reconnection. The initial state is a paramagnetic slab with a broad current layer. The computations include viscous and resistive heating, without external sources or sinks, and the boundary conditions prevent a flux of energy into or out of the system; therefore, total system energy should be conserved. Hyper-resistivity is employed to prevent current filaments from collapsing to simulation scales during plasmoid growth. Depending on the tearing stability and dissipation parameters, the evolution either proceeds to rapid reconnection or global resistive decay. Only conditions that develop fast, plasmoid-mediated reconnection transfer significant amounts of energy faster than the global resistive decay.
Comments:
