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American Astronomical Society, Astrophysical Journal, 2(684), p. 1477-1485, 2008

DOI: 10.1086/590425

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Self-regulation of the reconnecting current layer in relativistic pair plasma reconnection

Journal article published in 2008 by S. Zenitani ORCID, M. Hesse
This paper is made freely available by the publisher.
This paper is made freely available by the publisher.

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Abstract

We investigate properties of the reconnecting current layer in relativistic pair plasma reconnection. We found that the current layer self-regulates its thickness when the current layer runs out current carriers, and so relativistic reconnection retains a fast reconnection rate. Constructing a steady state Sweet-Parker model, we discuss conditions for the current sheet expansion. Based on the energy argument, we conclude that the incompressible assumption is invalid in relativistic Sweet-Parker reconnection. The guide field cases are more incompressible than the anti-parallel cases, and we find a more significant current sheet expansion. ; Comment: Accepted for publication in Astrophysical Journal (to appear in vol. 685)