Numerical Methods for Plasma Astrophysics:
From Particle Kinetics to MHD

CSIC Building (#406), Seminar Room 4122.
Directions: home.cscamm.umd.edu/directions

Magnetic Reconnection: Is MHD Adequate?

Dr. Mike Shay

University of Maryland

Abstract:   Reconnection is a process which breaks magnetic field line topology and releases magnetic energy in the form of bulk flows and heating. It is believed to play a critical role in many space plasma systems, damping small scale magnetic fields in dynamos and accretion disks, releasing large amounts of energy in a solar flare, and allowing solar wind plasma to mix with magnetospheric plasma around the Earth's space environment. All of these phenomena are currently modeled using primarily MHD simulations, but recent work clearly demonstrates that in most physical systems a complete description of magnetic reconnection requires physics not present in the MHD equations. I will review the non-MHD physics which is believed to play a critical role in reconnection, and discuss ways in which this non-MHD physics can affect systems at MHD scales.