Statistical Properties of Multiscale Magnetic Reconnection and the FLARE Project*

Magnetic reconnection is widely recognized as a fundamental plasma process underlying many explosive and energetic phenomena observed throughout the Universe, including laboratory fusion experiments. These plasmas are characterized by their high Lundquist numbers, $S$, and large normalized system sizes, $\lambda$. Different cross-scale coupling mechanisms occur during reconnection and can be organized in phase diagrams [Ji & Daughton PoP 2011; Ji et al. submitted 2021]. Statistical properties of these phases are of crucial importance in determining the energetic consequences of magnetic reconnection, such as the non-thermal acceleration of electrons. This presentation summarizes recent progress in quantifying statistical properties by analyzing magnetotail reconnection data [Bergstedt et al. GRL 2020], and theoretically predicting the effect of a guide field on plasmoid size distributions [Majeski et al. submitted 2021]. The upcoming multiscale experiment FLARE (Facility for LAboratory Reconnection Experiments) will be a DoE collaborative user facility and will provide the first experimental access to these multiscale phases. The status and plan for FLARE will be reported.