paper

Relativistic Asymmetric Reconnection

arXiv:2109.12125 · doi:10.1103/PhysRevLett.128.145101

Abstract

We derive basic scaling equations for relativistic magnetic reconnection in the general case of asymmetric inflow conditions and obtain predictions for the outflow Lorentz factor and the reconnection rate. Kinetic Particle-in-Cell simulations show that the outflow speeds as well as the nonthermal spectral index are constrained by the inflowing plasma with the weaker magnetic energy per particle, in agreement with the scaling predictions. These results are significant for understanding non-thermal emission from reconnection in magnetically-dominated, astrophysical systems, many of which may be asymmetric in nature. The results provide a quantitative approach for including asymmetry on reconnection in the relativistic regime.

6 pages, 4 Figures, published in PRL, Supplemental Material content included for clarity

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