Inertial magnetohydrodynamics

TL;DR

This paper develops an extended magnetohydrodynamics model incorporating electron inertia, providing a Hamiltonian framework and reduced models relevant for collisionless magnetic reconnection.

Contribution

It introduces a new MHD model based on electron canonical momentum and derives its Hamiltonian formulation, extending previous collisionless reconnection models.

Findings

Derived a new extended MHD model with electron inertia

Established a Hamiltonian formulation for the model

Obtained reduced models used in collisionless reconnection studies

Abstract

A version of extended magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) that incorporates electron inertia is obtained by constructing an action principle. Unlike MHD which freezes in magnetic flux, the present theory freezes in an alternative flux related to the electron canonical momentum. The associated Hamiltonian formulation is derived and reduced models that have previously been used to describe collisionless reconnection are obtained.