Magnetic Null Reconnection
In 3D reconnection may occur both at locations where the magnetic field is non-
zero and in locations where the magnetic field locally vanishes - magnetic null
points. From simple kinematic investigations it has been found that
reconnection may occur in three different way involving magnetic null points -
Spine, Fan and Separator reconnection. Until now no one have fully understood
the way that these process evolves. A number of numerical experiments have
therefore been conducted to start investigating the dynamical properties of the
different types of reconnection. These show that 3D null reconnection in many
ways are very different from the well know 2D reconnection. There is still a
long way to go before we understand the process that determines the dynamics of
the reconnection process in nulls. The numerical experiments that we have made
until now have only scratch the surface...
Papers
- Dynamical Properties of Single and Double 3D Null Points (1.8 Mb), "Observations of Magnetic Reconnection in the Solar Atmosphere", Bath, England, March 1996.
- Double Null Points and Magnetic Reconnection (2.6 Mb), COSPAR 1996, Birmingham, England.
- The Heating and Activity of the Solar Corona: 3. Dynamics of a Low Beta Plasma with 3D Null Points (24 Mb) (JGR, 102, 231-248, 1997)
- Energy Release Sites in Magnetic Fields Containing Single or Multiple Nulls (11 Mb) (SP, 176, 229-325, 1997)
- Three-dimensional Separator Reconnection - How Does It Occur?, Solar Physics, 193, 1, 2000 (Monterey conference august 1999).
Last updated 08.04.00