Follow WVU Plasma Physics
Cassak Group
Cassak Group Research Areas
Theoretical and Computational Plasma Physics
Space Physics
Solar Physics
Stellar Physics
Space Weather
Fusion
Specific Areas of Interest
Magnetic Reconnection
Nonlinear Dynamics
Magnetic Energy Storage and Transport
Group Members
Paul Cassak
Assistant Professor
Cassak Website
Luke Shepherd
5th Year Graduate Student
Matthew Beidler
4th Year Graduate Student
Colin Komar
4th Year Graduate Student
Rob Baylor
2nd Year Graduate Student
Notable Publications
2011 Publications
"Model for Incomplete Reconnection in Sawtooth Crashes",
M. T. Beidler and P. A. Cassak,
Phys. Rev. Lett., 107, 255002, 2011, PDF Version
"Magnetic reconnection as an element of turbulence",
S. Servidio, P. Dmitruk, A. Greco, M. Wan, S. Donato, P. A. Cassak, M. A. Shay, V. Carbone, and W. H. Matthaeus,
Nonlin. Processes Geophys., 18, 675, 2011, PDF Version
"Theory and Simulations of the Scaling of Magnetic Reconnection with Symmetric Shear Flow",
P. A. Cassak,
Phys. Plasmas, 18, 072106, 2011, PDF Version
"Scaling of the Magnetic Reconnection Rate with Symmetric Shear Flow",
P. A. Cassak and A. Otto,
Phys. Plasmas, 18, 074501, 2011, PDF Version
"Estimates of Densities and Filling Factors from a Cooling Time Analysis of Solar Microflares Observed with RHESSI",
R. N. Baylor, P. A. Cassak, S. Christe, I. G. Hannah, Sam Krucker, D. J. Mullan, M. A. Shay, H. S. Hudson, and R. P. Lin,
Ap. J., 736, 75, 2011, PDF Version
"Magnetic Reconnection for Coronal Conditions: Reconnection Rates, Secondary Islands and Onset",
P. A. Cassak and M. A. Shay,
Space Sci. Rev., doi:10.1007/s11212-001-9755-2, PDF Version
2010 Publications
"Three-dimensional simulations of the orientation and structure of reconnection X-lines",
R. Schreier, M. Swisdak, J. F. Drake, and P. A. Cassak,
Phys. Plasmas, 17, 110704, 2010, PDF Version
"Scaling of asymmetric magnetic reconnection: Kinetic particle-in-cell simulations",
K. Malakit, M. A. Shay, P. A. Cassak, and C. Bard,
J. Geophys. Res., 115, A10223, 2010, PDF Version
"Magnetic Reconnection with Asymmetry in the Outflow Direction",
N. A. Murphy, C. R. Sovinec, and P. A. Cassak,
J. Geophys. Res., 115, A09206, 2010, PDF Version
"Comparison of secondary islands in collisional reconnection to Hall reconnection",
L. S. Shepherd and P. A. Cassak,
Phys. Rev. Lett., 105, 015004, 2010, PDF Version
"A saddle-node bifurcation model of magnetic reconnection onset",
P. A. Cassak, M. A. Shay, and J. F. Drake,
Phys. Plasmas, 17, 062105, 2010, PDF Version
"Statistics of Magnetic Reconnection in Two-Dimensional Magnetohydrodynamic Turbulence",
S. Servidio, W. H. Matthaeus, M. A. Shay, P. Dmitruk, P. A. Cassak, and M. Wan,
Phys. Plasmas, 17, 032315, 2010, PDF Version
2009 Publications
"Scaling of Sweet-Parker Reconnection with Secondary Islands",
P. A. Cassak, M. A. Shay, and J. F. Drake,
Phys. Plasmas, 16, 120702, 2009, PDF Version
"The Impact of Microscopic Magnetic Reconnection on Pre-Flare Energy Storage",
P. A. Cassak and J. F. Drake,
Ap. J. Lett., 707, L158, 2009, PDF Version
"A magnetic reconnection mechanism for ion acceleration and abundance enhancement in impulsive flares",
J. F. Drake, P. A. Cassak, M. A. Shay, M. Swisdak, and E. Quataert,
Ap. J. Lett., 700, L16, 2009, PDF Version
"Ion Heating Resulting from Pickup in Magnetic Reconnection Exhausts",
J. F. Drake, M. Swisdak, T. D. Phan, P. A. Cassak, M. A. Shay, S. Lepri, R. P. Lin, E. Quataert and T. H. Zurbuchen,
J. Geophys. Res., 114, A05111, 2009, PDF Version
"The Hall effect in magnetic reconnection: Hybrid vs. Hall-less hybrid simulations",
K. Malakit, M. A. Shay, P. A. Cassak and J. F. Drake,
Geophys. Res. Lett., 36, L07107, 2009, PDF Version
"Kinetic dissipation and anisotropic heating in a turbulent collisionless plasma",
T. N. Parashar, M. A. Shay, P. A. Cassak and W. H. Matthaeus,
Phys. Plasmas, 16, 032310, 2009, PDF Version
"Structure of the Dissipation Region in Fluid Simulations of Asymmetric Magnetic Reconnection",
P. A. Cassak and M. A. Shay,
Phys. Plasmas, 16, 055704, 2009, PDF Version
"Magnetic Reconnection in Two-Dimensional Magnetohydrodynamic Turbulence",
S. Servidio, W. H. Matthaeus, M. A. Shay, P. A. Cassak and P. Dmitruk,
Phys. Rev. Lett., 102, 115003, 2009, PDF Version
2008 Publications
"The Scaling of Asymmetric Hall Reconnection",
P. A. Cassak and M. A. Shay,
Geophys. Res. Lett., 35, L19102, 2008, PDF Version
"From Solar and Stellar Flares to Coronal Heating: Theory and Observations of How Magnetic Reconnection Regulates Coronal Conditions"
P. A. Cassak, D. J. Mullan and M. A. Shay,
Ap. J. Lett., 676, L69-L72, 2008, March 20, PDF Version
2007 Publications
"Scaling of Asymmetric Magnetic Reconnection: General Theory and Collisional Simulations"
P. A. Cassak and M. A. Shay,
Phys. Plasmas, 14, 102114 (2007), PDF Version
"Onset of Fast Magnetic Reconnection"
P. A. Cassak, J. F. Drake, M. A. Shay and B. Eckhardt,
Phys. Rev. Lett., 98, 215001 (2007), PDF Version
"Catastrophic Onset of Fast Magnetic Reconnection with a Guide Field,"
P. A. Cassak, J. F. Drake, and M. A. Shay
Phys. Plasmas, 14, 054502 (2007), PDF Version
2006 Publications
"A Model for Spontaneous Onset of Fast Magnetic Reconnection,"
P. A. Cassak, J. F. Drake, and M. A. Shay,
Ap. J., 644, L145-L148, 2006 June 20, PDF Version
2005 Publications
"Catastrophe Model for Fast Magnetic Reconnection Onset,"
P. A. Cassak, M. A. Shay, and J. F. Drake,
Phys. Rev. Lett., 95, 235002 (2005), PDF Version
Last updated: January 6, 2012