A model of global magnetic reconnection rate in relativistic collisionless plasmas

TL;DR

This paper develops and validates a comprehensive model for the global magnetic reconnection rate in relativistic collisionless plasmas, showing it remains bounded despite high local rates and inflow speeds near light speed.

Contribution

It introduces a general model for the global reconnection rate in relativistic plasmas, validated by kinetic simulations, applicable across diverse conditions.

Findings

Global reconnection rate is bounded by ~0.3.

Local reconnection rate can reach O(1).

Inflow speed approaches the speed of light in strongly magnetized plasmas.

Abstract

A model of global magnetic reconnection rate in relativistic collisionless plasmas is developed and validated by the fully kinetic simulation. Through considering the force balance at the upstream and downstream of the diffusion region, we show that the global rate is bounded by a value $\sim 0.3$ even when the local rate goes up to $\sim O(1)$ and the local inflow speed approaches the speed of light in strongly magnetized plasmas. The derived model is general and can be applied to magnetic reconnection under widely different circumstances.