The Effects of Relativistic Shearflows and Kelvin Helmholtz Instability on the Magnetic Reconnection Rate in the Magnetically Dominated Regime

In this study we explore the behavior of magnetic reconnection in the relativistic (magnetically dominated) regime, in the presence of relativistic shearflows, and a guide field. To do this we use a 2D fully kinetic PIC code, and Sweet-Parker (1957) scaling analysis. In-plane shearflow suppresses reconnection, as found by Cassak and Otto (2011), but at high flow shear the Kelvin Helmholtz instability can induce reconnection. The presence of the guide field reduces the in-plane Alfven velocity in relativistic reconnection and allows the transition between suppressed to driven reconnection to happen at lower flow speeds.