# Fast collisionless reconnection and electron heating in strongly magnetized plasmas

Source: [Fast collisionless reconnection and electron heating in strongly magnetized plasmas](<https://www.sota2.com/research/paper/68fa30b11e209131ce8779a9>)

Collection index: [llms.txt](<https://www.sota2.com/research/llms.txt>)

Data updated: 2025-10-24T18:22:14.133Z

Authors: N. F. Loureiro, A. A. Schekochihin, A. Zocco

Published: 2013-01-02T21:51:17.000Z

## Abstract

Magnetic reconnection in strongly magnetized (low-beta), weakly collisional plasmas is investigated using a novel fluid-kinetic model \[Zocco & Schekochihin, Phys. Plasmas 18, 102309 (2011)\] which retains non-isothermal electron kinetics. It is shown that electron heating via Landau damping (linear phase mixing) is the dominant dissipation mechanism. In time, electron heating occurs after the peak of the reconnection rate; in space, it is concentrated along the separatrices of the magnetic island. For sufficiently large systems, the peak reconnection rate is $cE\_{max}\\approx 0.2v\_AB\_{y,0}$, where $v\_A$ is the Alfv\\'en speed based on the reconnecting field $B\_{y,0}$. The island saturation width is the same as in MHD models except for small systems, when it becomes comparable to the kinetic scales.

## Recorded benchmark results

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## Original sources and implementation

[Original paper](<https://arxiv.org/abs/1301.0338>)

[PDF](<https://arxiv.org/pdf/1301.0338.pdf>)