Experimental investigation of the neutral sheet profile during magnetic reconnection

During magnetic reconnection, a "neutral sheet" current is induced, heating the plasma. The resultant plasma thermal pressure forms a stationary equilibrium with the opposing magnetic fields. The reconnection layer profile holds significant clues about the physical mechanisms which control reconnection. In the Magnetic Reconnection Experiment [M. Yamada et al., Phys. Plasmas 4, 1936 (1997)], a quasi steady-state and axisymmetric neutral sheet profile has been measured precisely using a magnetic probe array with spatial resolution equal to one quarter of the ion gyro-radius. It was found that the reconnecting field profile fits well with a Harris-type profile [E. G. Harris, Il Nuovo Cimento 23, 115 (1962)], B(x)∼tanh(x/δ). This agreement is remarkable since the Harris theory does not take into account reconnection and associated electric fields and dissipation. An explanation for this agreement is presented. The sheet thickness δ is found to be ∼0.4 times the ion skin depth, which agrees with a generalized Harris theory incorporating nonisothermal electron and ion temperatures and finite electric field. The detailed study of additional local features of the reconnection region is also presented.