Petschek-like reconnection with current-driven anomalous resistivity and its application to solar flares

Recent simulations of magnetic reconnection with localized resistivity demonstrated the development of a Petschek-like configuration with the width of the inner diffusion region of the order of the resistivity localization scale. In this paper, we combine this fact with a realistic model for locally enhanced current-driven anomalous resistivity. In the qualitative model that results, the size of the diffusion region and hence the reconnection rate are determined self-consistently by the functional dependence of anomalous resistivity on the current density. For the specific case of anomalous resistivity due to ion-acoustic turbulence, we express the main reconnection parameters directly in terms of the basic plasma parameters. Finally, we apply our model to solar flares and obtain typical reconnection times that are consistent with observations.