Stabilization of Magnetic Reconnection in Relativistic Current Sheet

TL;DR

This paper investigates relativistic magnetic reconnection in hot plasma sheets with high-speed drift currents, revealing that such conditions suppress the growth of reconnection contrary to previous assumptions of rapid energy dissipation.

Contribution

It provides the first theoretical and computational analysis of relativistic reconnection with high-speed drift currents, showing suppression of reconnection growth.

Findings

Reconnection growth is suppressed in relativistic hot plasma sheets with high-speed drift currents.

Contrary to conventional understanding, relativistic reconnection does not always lead to fast energy dissipation.

Theoretical and computational results highlight conditions that inhibit magnetic reconnection growth.

Abstract

Recently, magnetic reconnection, where a relativistically hot plasma is confined by a strong magnetic field, has received great attention in relation to astrophysical objects (e.g., pulsar magnetosphere and magnetar). However, reconnection with relativistic high-speed drift current in the plasma sheet has not been investigated yet. Thus, from both the theoretical and computational points of view, we studied the growth rate of relativistic reconnection for the high-speed drift current in a relativistically hot plasma sheet. Consequently, we argue that, contrary to the conventional understanding of the fast energy dissipation by the relativistic reconnection, the growth of magnetic reconnection is suppressed.