A Thermodynamic Plasma Acceleration Mechanism in The Spontaneous Fast Magnetic Reconnection

T. Shimizu and M. Ugai

Department of Computer Science, Ehime University, Matsuyama city, Ehime Prefecture, 790 Japan.

The Petschek reconnection model suggests that the plasma outflow jets cannot steadily exceed the Alfven velocity measured in the magnetic field region. In contrast, in the spontaneous fast reconnection model, plasma jets can steadily exceed the Alfven velocity and also the local superfast wave velocity. According to our 2D MHD studies, the final steady velocity of the plasma jets reached 1.4 times of the Alfven velocity. This means that the generation of the plasma jets cannot be explained only by the Petschek reconnection model. We found that the 'superfast' plasma jets is firstly generated by slow shocks in the Petschek reconnection process, and second, is accelerated by a superfast adiabatic expansion fan associated with growing of a magnetic loop. The latter is similar to the Parker's solar wind acceleration with an exception of the gravity force, and is caused by swelling of the magnetic loop (plasmoid) generated by the reconnection process. Eventually, the superfast plasma jets terminate at a fast shock in the magnetic loop, therefore giving rise to a strong plasma heating in the fast shock.