Role of ion acoustic instability in magnetic reconnection

Fuente: arXiv
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Main Authors: Li, Dion, Liu, Zhuo, Loureiro, Nuno F.
Format: Preprint
Published: 2025
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_version_ 1866917299410173952
author Li, Dion
Liu, Zhuo
Loureiro, Nuno F.
author_facet Li, Dion
Liu, Zhuo
Loureiro, Nuno F.
contents We report on a first-principles numerical study of magnetic reconnection in plasmas with different initial ion-to-electron temperature ratios. In cases where this ratio is significantly below unity, we observe intense wave activity in the diffusion region, driven by the ion-acoustic instability. Our analysis shows that the dominant macroscopic effect of this instability is to drive substantial ion heating. In contrast to earlier studies reporting significant anomalous resistivity, we find that anomalous contributions due to the ion-acoustic instability are minimal. These results shed light on the dynamical impact of this instability on reconnection processes, offering new insights into the fundamental physics governing collisionless reconnection.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2505_08983
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Role of ion acoustic instability in magnetic reconnection
Li, Dion
Liu, Zhuo
Loureiro, Nuno F.
Plasma Physics
Solar and Stellar Astrophysics
Space Physics
We report on a first-principles numerical study of magnetic reconnection in plasmas with different initial ion-to-electron temperature ratios. In cases where this ratio is significantly below unity, we observe intense wave activity in the diffusion region, driven by the ion-acoustic instability. Our analysis shows that the dominant macroscopic effect of this instability is to drive substantial ion heating. In contrast to earlier studies reporting significant anomalous resistivity, we find that anomalous contributions due to the ion-acoustic instability are minimal. These results shed light on the dynamical impact of this instability on reconnection processes, offering new insights into the fundamental physics governing collisionless reconnection.
title Role of ion acoustic instability in magnetic reconnection
topic Plasma Physics
Solar and Stellar Astrophysics
Space Physics
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2505.08983