UK White Paper on Magnetic Reconnection: White paper submitted to UK Space Frontiers 2035 on 28 November 2025

Alexander Russell; Jeffersson Andres Agudelo Rueda; William Bate; Philippa Browning; Jennifer Carter; Giulio Del Zanna; Jonathan Eastwood; Luca Franci; Lucie Green; Heli Hietala; Andrew Hillier; Gunnar Hornig; Anshu Kumari; Mike Lockwood; David MacTaggart; Sarah Matthews; James McKevitt; James McLaughlin; Thomas Neukirch; David Pontin; Eric Priest; Jack Reid; Andy Smith; Ben Snow; Julia Stawarz; Maria-Theresia Walach; Peter Wyper; Anthony Yeates

doi:10.48550/arXiv.2512.11631

UK White Paper on Magnetic Reconnection: White paper submitted to UK Space Frontiers 2035 on 28 November 2025

Alexander Russell (Lead / Corresponding author)
, Jeffersson Andres Agudelo Rueda
, William Bate
, Philippa Browning
, Jennifer Carter
, Giulio Del Zanna
, Jonathan Eastwood
, Luca Franci
, Lucie Green
, Heli Hietala
, Andrew Hillier
, Gunnar Hornig
, Anshu Kumari
, Mike Lockwood
, David MacTaggart
, Sarah Matthews
, James McKevitt
, James McLaughlin
, Thomas Neukirch
, David Pontin

Eric Priest, Jack Reid , Andy Smith, Ben Snow, Julia Stawarz, Maria-Theresia Walach, Peter Wyper, Anthony Yeates

Mathematics

Research output: Working paper/Preprint › Working paper

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Abstract

Magnetic reconnection powers explosive releases of magnetic energy, heating and particle acceleration throughout the plasma universe. Knowledge of this universal process is vital to understanding the Heliosphere, as it plays a key role in solar flares, coronal mass ejections, coronal heating, solar wind acceleration, geomagnetic storms, and interactions between the solar wind and planetary magnetospheres. As such, reconnection underpins multiple science objectives of multiple future space missions. The UK plays a leading role in this international field, through a combination of in situ measurements from Earth's magnetosphere and the solar wind, observations of the solar corona and chromosphere, and world-class numerical simulations and theory. This white paper identifies: Nine priority science objectives for reconnection research in the next decade; Recommendations to guide investment in theory, simulations and infrastructure; Mission priorities and required measurements to ensure the UK maintains and improves its world-class credentials in reconnection science.

Original language	English
Publisher	arXiv
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2512.11631
Publication status	Published - 12 Dec 2025

Keywords

magnetic reconnection

ASJC Scopus subject areas

General Physics and Astronomy

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10.48550/arXiv.2512.11631Licence: CC BY

Final Published VersionFinal published version, 266 KBLicence: CC BY

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Russell, A., Agudelo Rueda, J. A., Bate, W., Browning, P., Carter, J., Del Zanna, G., Eastwood, J., Franci, L., Green, L., Hietala, H., Hillier, A., Hornig, G., Kumari, A., Lockwood, M., MacTaggart, D., Matthews, S., McKevitt, J., McLaughlin, J., Neukirch, T., ... Yeates, A. (2025). UK White Paper on Magnetic Reconnection: White paper submitted to UK Space Frontiers 2035 on 28 November 2025. arXiv. https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2512.11631

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title = "UK White Paper on Magnetic Reconnection: White paper submitted to UK Space Frontiers 2035 on 28 November 2025",

abstract = "Magnetic reconnection powers explosive releases of magnetic energy, heating and particle acceleration throughout the plasma universe. Knowledge of this universal process is vital to understanding the Heliosphere, as it plays a key role in solar flares, coronal mass ejections, coronal heating, solar wind acceleration, geomagnetic storms, and interactions between the solar wind and planetary magnetospheres. As such, reconnection underpins multiple science objectives of multiple future space missions. The UK plays a leading role in this international field, through a combination of in situ measurements from Earth's magnetosphere and the solar wind, observations of the solar corona and chromosphere, and world-class numerical simulations and theory. This white paper identifies: Nine priority science objectives for reconnection research in the next decade; Recommendations to guide investment in theory, simulations and infrastructure; Mission priorities and required measurements to ensure the UK maintains and improves its world-class credentials in reconnection science.",

keywords = "magnetic reconnection",

author = "Alexander Russell and \{Agudelo Rueda\}, \{Jeffersson Andres\} and William Bate and Philippa Browning and Jennifer Carter and \{Del Zanna\}, Giulio and Jonathan Eastwood and Luca Franci and Lucie Green and Heli Hietala and Andrew Hillier and Gunnar Hornig and Anshu Kumari and Mike Lockwood and David MacTaggart and Sarah Matthews and James McKevitt and James McLaughlin and Thomas Neukirch and David Pontin and Eric Priest and Jack Reid and Andy Smith and Ben Snow and Julia Stawarz and Maria-Theresia Walach and Peter Wyper and Anthony Yeates",

year = "2025",

month = dec,

day = "12",

doi = "10.48550/arXiv.2512.11631",

language = "English",

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Russell, A, Agudelo Rueda, JA, Bate, W, Browning, P, Carter, J, Del Zanna, G, Eastwood, J, Franci, L, Green, L, Hietala, H, Hillier, A, Hornig, G, Kumari, A, Lockwood, M, MacTaggart, D, Matthews, S, McKevitt, J, McLaughlin, J, Neukirch, T, Pontin, D, Priest, E, Reid , J, Smith, A, Snow, B, Stawarz, J, Walach, M-T, Wyper, P & Yeates, A 2025 'UK White Paper on Magnetic Reconnection: White paper submitted to UK Space Frontiers 2035 on 28 November 2025' arXiv. https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2512.11631

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T2 - White paper submitted to UK Space Frontiers 2035 on 28 November 2025

AU - Russell, Alexander

AU - Agudelo Rueda, Jeffersson Andres

AU - Bate, William

AU - Browning, Philippa

AU - Carter, Jennifer

AU - Del Zanna, Giulio

AU - Eastwood, Jonathan

AU - Franci, Luca

AU - Green, Lucie

AU - Hietala, Heli

AU - Hillier, Andrew

AU - Hornig, Gunnar

AU - Kumari, Anshu

AU - Lockwood, Mike

AU - MacTaggart, David

AU - Matthews, Sarah

AU - McKevitt, James

AU - McLaughlin, James

AU - Neukirch, Thomas

AU - Pontin, David

AU - Priest, Eric

AU - Reid , Jack

AU - Smith, Andy

AU - Snow, Ben

AU - Stawarz, Julia

AU - Walach, Maria-Theresia

AU - Wyper, Peter

AU - Yeates, Anthony

PY - 2025/12/12

Y1 - 2025/12/12

N2 - Magnetic reconnection powers explosive releases of magnetic energy, heating and particle acceleration throughout the plasma universe. Knowledge of this universal process is vital to understanding the Heliosphere, as it plays a key role in solar flares, coronal mass ejections, coronal heating, solar wind acceleration, geomagnetic storms, and interactions between the solar wind and planetary magnetospheres. As such, reconnection underpins multiple science objectives of multiple future space missions. The UK plays a leading role in this international field, through a combination of in situ measurements from Earth's magnetosphere and the solar wind, observations of the solar corona and chromosphere, and world-class numerical simulations and theory. This white paper identifies: Nine priority science objectives for reconnection research in the next decade; Recommendations to guide investment in theory, simulations and infrastructure; Mission priorities and required measurements to ensure the UK maintains and improves its world-class credentials in reconnection science.

AB - Magnetic reconnection powers explosive releases of magnetic energy, heating and particle acceleration throughout the plasma universe. Knowledge of this universal process is vital to understanding the Heliosphere, as it plays a key role in solar flares, coronal mass ejections, coronal heating, solar wind acceleration, geomagnetic storms, and interactions between the solar wind and planetary magnetospheres. As such, reconnection underpins multiple science objectives of multiple future space missions. The UK plays a leading role in this international field, through a combination of in situ measurements from Earth's magnetosphere and the solar wind, observations of the solar corona and chromosphere, and world-class numerical simulations and theory. This white paper identifies: Nine priority science objectives for reconnection research in the next decade; Recommendations to guide investment in theory, simulations and infrastructure; Mission priorities and required measurements to ensure the UK maintains and improves its world-class credentials in reconnection science.

KW - magnetic reconnection

U2 - 10.48550/arXiv.2512.11631

DO - 10.48550/arXiv.2512.11631

M3 - Working paper

BT - UK White Paper on Magnetic Reconnection

PB - arXiv

ER -

UK White Paper on Magnetic Reconnection: White paper submitted to UK Space Frontiers 2035 on 28 November 2025

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