Global dynamics of magnetic reconnection in VINETA II Magnetic reconnection is a fundamental plasma process where a change in field line connectivity occurs in a current sheet at the boundary between regions of opposing magnetic fields. In this process energy stored in the magnetic field is converted into kinetic and thermal energy which provides a source of plasma heating and energetic particles. Magnetic reconnection plays a key role in many space and laboratory plasma phenomena e.g. solar flares Earths magnetopause dynamics and instabilities in tokamaks. A new linear device (VINETA II) has been designed for the study of the fundamental physical processes involved in magnetic reconnection. The plasma parameters are such that magnetic reconnection occurs in a collision dominated regime. A plasma gun creates a localized current sheet and magnetic reconnection is driven by modulating the plasma current and the magnetic field structure. The plasma current is shown to flow in response to a combination of an externally induced electric field and electrostatic fields in the plasma and is highly affected by axial sheath boundary conditions. Further the current is changed by an additional axial magnetic field (guide field) and the current sheet geometry was demonstrated to be set by a combination of magnetic mapping and cross field plasma diffusion. With increasing distance from the plasma gun magnetic mapping results in an increase of the current sheet length and a decrease of the width. The control parameter is the ratio of ... Magnetische Rekonnexion Plasmaphysik Plasma Laborexperiment Magnetfeld Magnetfelddiagnostik Magnetic reconnection Magnetic field diagnostics Laboratory experiment Magnetic fields