| (CP3) - Magnetic Reconnection |
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Magnetic reconnection is a fundamental process in a plasma, be it in the laboratory, in the Earth's magnetosphere, in the Sun or in other astrophysical environments. During reconnection, magnetic field lines come together, break and change their connectivity to plasma elements. At the same time, magnetic energy is converted into kinetic energy, heat and fast particle energy. The SOLAIRE network aims to develop computational and analytical models of 3D reconnection, and make the key steps towards unsteady and collisionless modelling of reconnecting magnetic fields. These can guide our physical insight in realistic reconnecting environments, e.g., those between emerging flux and pre-existing coronal fields. To assess energy release mechanisms in such environments, integration of the kinetic/particle and MHD approaches must be undertaken. By going to such hybrid plasma models, new insights into coronal heating will be developed. 
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