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Physics of Plasmas
Article . 2026 . Peer-reviewed
License: CC BY
Data sources: Crossref
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https://dx.doi.org/10.48550/ar...
Article . 2025
License: arXiv Non-Exclusive Distribution
Data sources: Datacite
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Electron inertia and magnetic reconnection

Authors: Allen H. Boozer;

Electron inertia and magnetic reconnection

Abstract

When electron inertia is the only non-ideal effect in the evolution of a magnetic field B→, the field lines of B→ reconnect, but the lines of a related field B→ do not. B→≡B→+∇→×((c/ωpe)2μ0j→) with ωpe the plasma frequency and j→ the current density. Although a full four-dimensional relativistic calculation of B→ has been made, studies of B→ have been focused on systems that depend on only two spatial coordinates. Three results are given: (1) A relatively simple demonstration in three-dimensional space that the lines of B→ do not reconnect when electron inertia is the only non-ideal effect. (2) The guiding center motion of charged particles is modified by a term that is proportional to (c/ωpe)2, which is smaller than the drifts proportional to the gyroradius unless the current density is extremely large. (3) In three-dimensional space, the evolution velocity of B→ is characteristically chaotic, which means neighboring streamlines separate exponentially on a timescale τu. B→ undergoes large scale reconnection on a timescale that is only an order of magnitude or two longer than τu unless all diffusive non-ideal effects, such as resistivity, are absolutely zero.

Related Organizations
Keywords

Plasma Physics (physics.plasm-ph), Plasma Physics, FOS: Physical sciences, Solar and Stellar Astrophysics, Solar and Stellar Astrophysics (astro-ph.SR)

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selected citations
These citations are derived from selected sources.
This is an alternative to the "Influence" indicator, which also reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically).
BIP!Citations provided by BIP!
popularity
This indicator reflects the "current" impact/attention (the "hype") of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network.
BIP!Popularity provided by BIP!
influence
This indicator reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically).
BIP!Influence provided by BIP!
impulse
This indicator reflects the initial momentum of an article directly after its publication, based on the underlying citation network.
BIP!Impulse provided by BIP!
0
Average
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