title: Measurement of the current sheet during magnetic reconnection in a toroidal plasma.
abstract: The current and magnetic-field fluctuations associated with magnetic-field-line reconnection have been measured in the reversed field pinch plasma configuration. The current sheet resulting from this reconnection has been measured. The current layer is radially broad, comparable to a magnetic-island width, as may be expected from current transport along magnetic-field lines. It is much larger than that predicted by resistive MHD for linear tearing modes and larger than prediction from two-fluid linear theory.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, USA.
authors.forename: N A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Crocker
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Fiksel
authors.forename: S C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Prager
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Sarff