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Magnetic-field re-connexion in a highly conducting incompressible fluid

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 March 2009

Bengt U. Ö. Sonnerup
Bengt U. Ö. Sonnerup
Affiliation:
Dartmouth College Hanover, N.H. 03755
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Abstract

A theoretical model is proposed for the process of re-connexion of frozen-in magnetic-field lines at an X-type null point in the field. The model involves a diffusion region, immediately adjacent to the null point and an outer wave- dominated region. For the latter an exact solution to the magneto-hydrodynamic equations is obtained; for the former an approximate relationship is derived between the field-re-connexion rate, measured by the Alfvén number of the incident flow, and the magnetic Reynolds number, based on the width of the diffusion region. The maximum field-re-connexion rate is determined entirely by conditions near the null point and may under suitable conditions become large. A condition for maximum conversion of magnetic energy is derived.

Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Plasma Physics , Volume 4 , Issue 1 , February 1970 , pp. 161 - 174
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1970

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References

REFERENCES

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