"Magnetic reconnection is a physical process occurring in electrically conducting plasmas, in which the magnetic topology is rearranged and magnetic energy is converted to kinetic energy, thermal energy, and particle acceleration."
Process where magnetic field lines come together and release energy, allowing for solar wind energy to enter the magnetosphere.
Magnetic Fields: Study of the physical phenomena associated with magnetic fields and their interactions with various media.
Electric Fields: Study of the physical phenomenon associated with electric fields and their interactions with magnetic fields.
Plasma Physics: Study of the behavior of plasma in a magnetic reconnection scenario.
Solar Wind: Study of the solar and interplanetary plasma and magnetic fields that interact with the Earth's magnetosphere.
Magnetohydrodynamics: Study of the behavior of magnetized fluids.
Magnetospheric Substorm: Study of the dynamic processes of the Earth's magnetosphere during a substorm.
Magnetotail: Study of the magnetic field structure and dynamics of the magnetotail.
Particle acceleration: Study of the acceleration mechanisms of charged particles during magnetic reconnection.
Magnetic flux ropes: Study of the structure, dynamics, and evolution of magnetic flux ropes during magnetic reconnection.
X-ray and gamma-ray astronomy: Study of the high-energy radiation produced during magnetic reconnection.
Dynamical Systems: Study of mathematical models of magnetic reconnection.
Chaos Theory: Study of the chaotic behavior of magnetic reconnection.
Numerical Simulation: Development of numerical models and simulations to study magnetic reconnection.
Observational Techniques: Study of observational techniques and data to measure magnetic reconnection.
Space weather: Study of the impact of solar and space weather on the Earth's magnetosphere and the effects on the Earth's technological infrastructure.
Ideal magnetic reconnection: This is a theoretical concept that assumes a perfectly conducting plasma, and all energy release occurs on an infinitely thin current layer.
Collisionless magnetic reconnection: This occurs when plasma collisions are negligible, and magnetic reconnection occurs due to wave-particle interactions.
Turbulent magnetic reconnection: This occurs when turbulence plays a significant role in magnetic reconnection.
Separator reconnection: This occurs when two magnetic fields approach each other but do not merge entirely, creating a thin current sheet between them.
X-line reconnection: This is a common type of magnetic reconnection that occurs when two magnetic fields merge to form an X-like structure.
Three-dimensional magnetic reconnection: This type of reconnection occurs in three-dimensional magnetic fields, and it is characterized by the formation of vortices and turbulence.
Multiple X-line reconnection: This occurs when multiple X-lines form within a single current sheet.
Guide-field magnetic reconnection: This occurs when the magnetic fields have a guiding field component, which affects the reconnection process.
Gradual magnetic reconnection: This occurs when the reconnection process occurs gradually over a long period, releasing energy slowly.
Fast magnetic reconnection: This occurs when the reconnection process occurs rapidly, releasing a vast amount of energy in a short period.
"Magnetic reconnection is a physical process occurring in electrically conducting plasmas..."
"...the magnetic topology is rearranged and magnetic energy is converted to kinetic energy, thermal energy, and particle acceleration."
"Magnetic reconnection involves plasma flows at a substantial fraction of the Alfvén wave speed, which is the fundamental speed for mechanical information flow in a magnetized plasma."
"The concept of magnetic reconnection was developed in parallel by researchers working in solar physics and in the interaction between the solar wind and magnetized planets."
"...reconnection, which can either disconnect formerly connected magnetic fields or connect formerly disconnected magnetic fields, depending on the circumstances."
"Ron Giovanelli is credited with the first publication invoking magnetic energy release as a potential mechanism for particle acceleration in solar flares."
"Giovanelli proposed in 1946 that solar flares stem from the energy obtained by charged particles influenced by induced electric fields within close proximity of sunspots."
"In the years 1947-1948, he published more papers further developing the reconnection model of solar flares."
"He proposed that the mechanism occurs at points of neutrality (weak or null magnetic field) within structured magnetic fields."
"James Dungey is credited with first use of the term 'magnetic reconnection' in his 1950 PhD thesis..."
"...to explain the coupling of mass, energy and momentum from the solar wind into Earth's magnetosphere."
"The concept was published for the first time in a seminal paper in 1961."
"Dungey coined the term 'reconnection' because he envisaged field lines and plasma moving together in an inflow toward a magnetic neutral point (2D) or line (3D), breaking apart and then rejoining again but with different magnetic field lines and plasma, in an outflow away from the magnetic neutral point or line."
"The first theoretical framework of magnetic reconnection was established by Peter Sweet and Eugene Parker..."
"Sweet pointed out that by pushing two plasmas with oppositely directed magnetic fields together, resistive diffusion is able to occur on a length scale much shorter than a typical equilibrium length scale."
"Sweet and Parker proposed their model at a conference in 1956."
"Parker was in attendance at this conference and developed scaling relations for this model during his return travel."
"Sweet pointed out that by pushing two plasmas with oppositely directed magnetic fields together, resistive diffusion is able to occur on a length scale much shorter than a typical equilibrium length scale."
"Peter Sweet and Eugene Parker presented their model at a conference in 1956."