The coalescence of magnetic islands in the low-resistivity $\eta$, Hall-MHD regime is studied. The interaction between the ion inertial length $d_i$ and the dynamically evolving current sheet scale length ${\delta }_J$ is established. Initially, $d_i\ll {\delta }_J$. If $\eta$ is such that ${\delta }_J$ dynamically thins down to $d_i$ prior to the well-known sloshing phenomena, then sloshing is avoided. This results in $\eta$ independent peak reconnection rates. However, if $d_i$ is small enough that ${\delta }_J$ cannot be thinned down to this scale prior to sloshing, then sloshing proceeds as in the resistive MHD model.

• Received 20 October 2005

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.96.135001