Forced reconnection and current sheet formation in Taylor’s model

The problem of forced reconnection in Taylor’s model, first investigated by Hahm and Kulsrud [Phys. Fluids 28, 2412 (1985)], is revisited. After the linear phases A, B, and C, described by Hahm and Kulsrud, the plasma enters a nonlinear phase W with a current sheet, described by Waelbroeck [Phys. Fluids B 1, 2380 (1989)]. After the W phase, the plasma passes into the Rutherford regime. The reconnected flux at the separatrix increases monotonically from zero to its asymptotic value in the Rutherford regime. Analytical expressions for the reconnected flux and the island width are given.