Editing Magnetic reconnection (section)

=== Types of reconnection ===
In two dimensions, the most common type of magnetic reconnection is '''separator reconnection''', in which four separate magnetic domains exchange magnetic field lines.  Domains in a magnetic plasma are separated by ''[[Separatrix (Math)|separatrix]] surfaces'': curved surfaces in space that divide different bundles of flux. Field lines on one side of the separatrix all terminate at a particular magnetic pole, while field lines on the other side all terminate at a different pole of similar sign.  Since each field line generally begins at a north magnetic pole and ends at a south magnetic pole, the most general way of dividing simple flux systems involves four domains separated by two separatrices: one separatrix surface divides the flux into two bundles, each of which shares a south pole, and the other separatrix surface divides the flux into two bundles, each of which shares a north pole.  The intersection of the separatrices forms a ''separator'', a single line that is at the boundary of the four separate domains.  In separator reconnection, field lines enter the separator from two of the domains, and are spliced one to the other, exiting the separator in the other two domains (see the first figure).

In three dimensions, the geometry of the field lines become more complicated than the two-dimensional case and it is possible for reconnection to occur in regions where a separator does not exist, but with the field lines connected by steep gradients.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Priest|first1=E. R.|last2=Démoulin|first2=P.|date=1995|title=Three-dimensional magnetic reconnection without null points: 1. Basic theory of magnetic flipping|journal=Journal of Geophysical Research| language=en|volume=100|issue=A12|pages=23443|doi=10.1029/95ja02740|issn=0148-0227|bibcode=1995JGR...10023443P}}</ref> These regions are known as '''quasi-separatrix layers (QSLs)''', and have been observed in theoretical configurations<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Titov|first1=Vyacheslav S.|last2=Hornig|first2=Gunnar|last3=Démoulin|first3=Pascal|date=August 2002| title=Theory of magnetic connectivity in the solar corona|journal=Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics| language=en| volume=107|issue=A8|pages=SSH&nbsp;3{{hyphen}}1–SSH&nbsp;3{{hyphen}}13| doi=10.1029/2001ja000278| issn=0148-0227|bibcode=2002JGRA..107.1164T|doi-access=free}}</ref> and solar flares.<ref>{{Cite journal| last1=Mandrini|first1=C. H.| last2=Démoulin|first2=P.|last3=Van Driel-Gesztelyi|first3=L.| last4=Schmieder|first4=B.| last5=Cauzzi|first5=G.| last6=Hofmann|first6=A.| date=September 1996| title=3D magnetic reconnection at an X-ray bright point| journal=Solar Physics| language=en| volume=168| issue=1| pages=115–133| doi=10.1007/bf00145829| issn=0038-0938| bibcode=1996SoPh..168..115M|s2cid=120072450}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Bagalá|first1=L. G.|last2=Mandrini|first2=C. H. | last3=Rovira|first3=M. G.|last4=Démoulin|first4=P.|date=November 2000|title=Magnetic reconnection: a common origin for flares and AR interconnecting arcs|journal=Astronomy and Astrophysics| language=en| volume=363| pages=779| issn = 0004-6361 | bibcode=2000A&A...363..779B}}</ref>