The role of the Weibel instability at the reconnection jet front in relativistic pair plasma reconnection

Abstract

The role of the Weibel instability is investigated for the first time in the context of the large-scale magnetic reconnection problem. A late-time evolution of magnetic reconnection in relativistic pair plasmas is demonstrated by particle-in-cell simulations. In the outflow regions, powerful reconnection jets pile up the magnetic fields and then a contact discontinuity appears there. Further downstream, it is found that the two-dimensional extension of the relativistic Weibel instability generates electromagnetic fields, which are comparable to the antiparallel or piled-up fields. In a microscopic viewpoint, the instability allows the plasma's multiple interactions with the discontinuity. In a macroscopic viewpoint, the instability leads to rapid expansion of the current sheet and then the reconnection jet front further propagates into the downstream. Possible application to the three-dimensional case is briefly discussed. © 2008 American Institute of Physics.