Abstract
We study the role of the guide field in relativistic magnetic reconnection in a Harris current sheet of pair (e±) plasmas, using linear theories and particle-in-cell (PIC) simulations. Two-dimensional PIC simulations exhibit the guide field dependence to the linear instabilities; the tearing or reconnection modes are relatively insensitive, while the relativistic drift-kink instability (RDKI), the fastest mode in a relativistic current sheet, is stabilized by the guide field. Particle acceleration in the nonlinear stage is also investigated. A three-dimensional PIC simulation demonstrates that the current sheet is unstable to the RDKI, although a small reconnection occurs in the deformed current sheet. Another three-dimensional PIC simulation with a guide field demonstrates a completely different scenario. Secondary magnetic reconnection is triggered by nonlinear coupling of oblique instabilities, which we call the relativistic drift-sausage tearing instability. Therefore, particle acceleration by relativistic guide field reconnection occurs in three-dimensional configuration. Based on the plasma theories, we discuss an important role of the guide field: to enable nonthermal particle acceleration by magnetic reconnection.
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