Simulation of Fast Magnetic Reconnection using a Two-Fluid Model of Collisionless Pair Plasma without Anomalous Resistivity

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates fast magnetic reconnection in a collisionless pair plasma fluid model without using anomalous resistivity, showing that anisotropic two-fluid dynamics can naturally produce rapid reconnection.

Contribution

It is the first to show fast magnetic reconnection in a collisionless pair plasma fluid model without anomalous resistivity, highlighting the role of anisotropic two-fluid effects.

Findings

Fast reconnection occurs in anisotropic two-fluid models.

Rapid isotropization leads to fast reconnection.

Instabilities can arise at very rapid isotropization rates.

Abstract

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.