Abstract
Recent experimental and theoretical results have led to two lines of thought regarding the physical processes underlying fast magnetic reconnection. One is based on the traditional Sweet–Parker model but replaces the Spitzer resistivity with an enhanced resistivity caused by electron scattering by ion acoustic turbulence. The other includes the finite gyroradius effects that enter Ohm’s law through the Hall and electron pressure gradient terms. A two-dimensional numerical study, conducted with a new implicit parallel two-fluid code, has helped to clarify the similarities and differences in predictions between these two models. The former yields resistivity-dependent reconnection with a thick, moderate-aspect-ratio current sheet. If the sheet thickness is less than or comparable to the ion skin depth, it is verified that the Hall effect will predominate [Shay et al., Geophys. Res. Lett. 26, 2163 (1999)], producing true fast reconnection with a microscopic current sheet of unit aspect ratio and a distorted out-of-plane magnetic field [Mandt et al., Geophys. Res. Lett. 21, 73 (1994)].
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