Resistive scales for collisionless reconnection in space plasma

TL;DR

This paper derives constraints on collisional magnetic reconnection in near-Earth space by analyzing the resistive scale at the ion inertial site within the ion diffusion region, crucial for understanding space plasma dynamics.

Contribution

It provides a theoretical framework for understanding the limitations of collisional reconnection in collisionless space plasmas, focusing on the resistive scale at the ion inertial site.

Findings

Resistive scale $L_\eta$ is critical for reconnection dynamics.

Constraints on collisional reconnection are derived for space plasma conditions.

Implications for magnetic reconnection in near-Earth space are discussed.

Abstract

We derive restrictions on collisional reconnection under the conditions in near-Earth space. The arguments are based on the precise definition and estimates of the resistive scale $L_\eta$ at the ion inertial site in collisionless reconnection, i.e. in the so-called `ion diffusion region' which is the region of Hall-current flow.