Prof. Dmitri Uzdensky | Extreme Astrophysical Plasmas & Magnetic Reconnection

Dark matter aside, the vast majority of the visible universe is composed of plasma – ionized gases. The motion of ionized gases produces electrical currents that create magnetic fields. In fact, magnetics fields permeate the entire universe. According to Maxwell’s equations, magnetic fields must be closed loops. However, occasionally those closed loops of magnetic fields will break and quickly reconnect to form other closed loops. Magnetic reconnection can release enormous amounts of energy that may be responsible for some of the most interesting galactic structures.

In this video, Prof. Dmitri Uzdensky of the University of Colorado describes his computer simulations of astrophysical plasmas, and how magnetic reconnection may produce these astrophysical phenomena.