TY - JOUR
T1 - Compressible models of fast steady-state magnetic reconnection
AU - Priest, E. R.
PY - 1989/8
Y1 - 1989/8
N2 - We investigate the effects of compressibility on magnetic reconnection, using as a basis the incompressible models of Priest & Forbes and Jardine & Priest. Our results show that compressibility modifies the reconnection process, without changing its essential character. In the region of inflowing plasma, compressibility tends to increase the convergence or divergence of the flow. Also, for regimes with a compression in the inflow the maximum rate of reconnection is increased, while for regimes with an expansion in the inflow the magnetic Mach number at the entrance to the diffusion region is increased. In the region of outflowing plasma the main effects of compressibility are to produce faster and narrower outflow jets, with a lower magnetic field strength.
AB - We investigate the effects of compressibility on magnetic reconnection, using as a basis the incompressible models of Priest & Forbes and Jardine & Priest. Our results show that compressibility modifies the reconnection process, without changing its essential character. In the region of inflowing plasma, compressibility tends to increase the convergence or divergence of the flow. Also, for regimes with a compression in the inflow the maximum rate of reconnection is increased, while for regimes with an expansion in the inflow the magnetic Mach number at the entrance to the diffusion region is increased. In the region of outflowing plasma the main effects of compressibility are to produce faster and narrower outflow jets, with a lower magnetic field strength.
UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/0024717221
U2 - 10.1017/S0022377800014215
DO - 10.1017/S0022377800014215
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:0024717221
SN - 0022-3778
VL - 42
SP - 111
EP - 132
JO - Journal of Plasma Physics
JF - Journal of Plasma Physics
IS - 1
ER -