Magnetic reconnection simulation

This movie, put together from a numerical simulation, shows magnetic field lines (shown in white) on a colour contour plot of electron flow speed.

The magnetic field lines flow in towards the centre of the page and merge. After they merge, the magnetic field line tension flings the plasma to the left and right, away from the origin. The electron diffusion region corresponds to the red, yellow and green regions along the centre. Once reconnection starts, this region grows with time, becoming much longer than previously thought.