Outstanding Questions and Future Research on Magnetic Reconnection

R. Nakamura; J. L. Burch; J. Birn; Li-Jen Chen; D. B. Graham; F. Guo; K.-J. Hwang; H. Ji; Y. V. Khotyaintsev; Y.-H. Liu; M. Oka; D. Payne; M. I. Sitnov; M. Swisdak; S. Zenitani; J. F. Drake; S. A. Fuselier; K. J. Genestreti; D. J. Gershman; H. Hasegawa; M. Hoshino; C. Norgren; M. A. Shay; J. R. Shuster; J. E. Stawarz

doi:10.1007/s11214-025-01143-z

Outstanding Questions and Future Research on Magnetic Reconnection

R. Nakamura^*, J. L. Burch, J. Birn, Li-Jen Chen, D. B. Graham, F. Guo, K.-J. Hwang, H. Ji, Y. V. Khotyaintsev, Y.-H. Liu, M. Oka, D. Payne, M. I. Sitnov, M. Swisdak, S. Zenitani, J. F. Drake, S. A. Fuselier, K. J. Genestreti, D. J. Gershman, H. HasegawaM. Hoshino, C. Norgren, M. A. Shay, J. R. Shuster, J. E. Stawarz

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › peer-review

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Abstract

This short article highlights unsolved problems of magnetic reconnection in collisionless plasma. Advanced in-situ plasma measurements and simulations have enabled scientists to gain a novel understanding of magnetic reconnection. Nevertheless, outstanding questions remain concerning the complex dynamics and structures in the diffusion region, cross-scale and regional couplings, the onset of magnetic reconnection, and the details of particle energization. We discuss future directions for magnetic reconnection research, including new observations, new simulations, and interdisciplinary approaches.

Original language	English
Article number	17
Number of pages	22
Journal	Space Science Reviews
Volume	221
Issue number	1
Early online date	11 Feb 2025
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/s11214-025-01143-z
Publication status	Published - Feb 2025

Keywords

Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) mission
Energetics
Cross-scale
Magnetic reconnection
Onset
Diffusion region

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Nakamura, R., Burch, J. L., Birn, J., Chen, L.-J., Graham, D. B., Guo, F., Hwang, K.-J., Ji, H., Khotyaintsev, Y. V., Liu, Y.-H., Oka, M., Payne, D., Sitnov, M. I., Swisdak, M., Zenitani, S., Drake, J. F., Fuselier, S. A., Genestreti, K. J., Gershman, D. J., ... Stawarz, J. E. (2025). Outstanding Questions and Future Research on Magnetic Reconnection. Space Science Reviews, 221(1), Article 17. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11214-025-01143-z

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title = "Outstanding Questions and Future Research on Magnetic Reconnection",

abstract = "This short article highlights unsolved problems of magnetic reconnection in collisionless plasma. Advanced in-situ plasma measurements and simulations have enabled scientists to gain a novel understanding of magnetic reconnection. Nevertheless, outstanding questions remain concerning the complex dynamics and structures in the diffusion region, cross-scale and regional couplings, the onset of magnetic reconnection, and the details of particle energization. We discuss future directions for magnetic reconnection research, including new observations, new simulations, and interdisciplinary approaches.",

keywords = "Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) mission, Energetics, Cross-scale, Magnetic reconnection, Onset, Diffusion region",

author = "R. Nakamura and Burch, \{J. L.\} and J. Birn and Li-Jen Chen and Graham, \{D. B.\} and F. Guo and K.-J. Hwang and H. Ji and Khotyaintsev, \{Y. V.\} and Y.-H. Liu and M. Oka and D. Payne and Sitnov, \{M. I.\} and M. Swisdak and S. Zenitani and Drake, \{J. F.\} and Fuselier, \{S. A.\} and Genestreti, \{K. J.\} and Gershman, \{D. J.\} and H. Hasegawa and M. Hoshino and C. Norgren and Shay, \{M. A.\} and Shuster, \{J. R.\} and Stawarz, \{J. E.\}",

year = "2025",

month = feb,

doi = "10.1007/s11214-025-01143-z",

language = "English",

volume = "221",

journal = "Space Science Reviews",

issn = "0038-6308",

publisher = "Springer",

number = "1",

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Nakamura, R, Burch, JL, Birn, J, Chen, L-J, Graham, DB, Guo, F, Hwang, K-J, Ji, H, Khotyaintsev, YV, Liu, Y-H, Oka, M, Payne, D, Sitnov, MI, Swisdak, M, Zenitani, S, Drake, JF, Fuselier, SA, Genestreti, KJ, Gershman, DJ, Hasegawa, H, Hoshino, M, Norgren, C, Shay, MA, Shuster, JR & Stawarz, JE 2025, 'Outstanding Questions and Future Research on Magnetic Reconnection', Space Science Reviews, vol. 221, no. 1, 17. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11214-025-01143-z

TY - JOUR

T1 - Outstanding Questions and Future Research on Magnetic Reconnection

AU - Nakamura, R.

AU - Burch, J. L.

AU - Birn, J.

AU - Chen, Li-Jen

AU - Graham, D. B.

AU - Guo, F.

AU - Hwang, K.-J.

AU - Ji, H.

AU - Khotyaintsev, Y. V.

AU - Liu, Y.-H.

AU - Oka, M.

AU - Payne, D.

AU - Sitnov, M. I.

AU - Swisdak, M.

AU - Zenitani, S.

AU - Drake, J. F.

AU - Fuselier, S. A.

AU - Genestreti, K. J.

AU - Gershman, D. J.

AU - Hasegawa, H.

AU - Hoshino, M.

AU - Norgren, C.

AU - Shay, M. A.

AU - Shuster, J. R.

AU - Stawarz, J. E.

PY - 2025/2

Y1 - 2025/2

N2 - This short article highlights unsolved problems of magnetic reconnection in collisionless plasma. Advanced in-situ plasma measurements and simulations have enabled scientists to gain a novel understanding of magnetic reconnection. Nevertheless, outstanding questions remain concerning the complex dynamics and structures in the diffusion region, cross-scale and regional couplings, the onset of magnetic reconnection, and the details of particle energization. We discuss future directions for magnetic reconnection research, including new observations, new simulations, and interdisciplinary approaches.

AB - This short article highlights unsolved problems of magnetic reconnection in collisionless plasma. Advanced in-situ plasma measurements and simulations have enabled scientists to gain a novel understanding of magnetic reconnection. Nevertheless, outstanding questions remain concerning the complex dynamics and structures in the diffusion region, cross-scale and regional couplings, the onset of magnetic reconnection, and the details of particle energization. We discuss future directions for magnetic reconnection research, including new observations, new simulations, and interdisciplinary approaches.

KW - Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) mission

KW - Energetics

KW - Cross-scale

KW - Magnetic reconnection

KW - Onset

KW - Diffusion region

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85219358028

U2 - 10.1007/s11214-025-01143-z

DO - 10.1007/s11214-025-01143-z

M3 - Review article

SN - 0038-6308

VL - 221

JO - Space Science Reviews

JF - Space Science Reviews

IS - 1

M1 - 17

ER -

Outstanding Questions and Future Research on Magnetic Reconnection

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Keywords

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