Investigation of tearing instability using GeFi particle simulation model
- Physics Department, Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama 36849-5311 (United States)
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of California at Irvine, California, 92697 (United States)
The gyrokinetic (GK) electron and fully kinetic ion (GeFi) simulation model of Lin et al.[Plasmas Phys. Controlled Fusion 53, 054013 (2011)] has been thoroughly benchmarked and validated for a two-dimensional (2D) Harris current sheet with a finite guide field. First, a gyrokinetic eigenmode theory for the collisionless tearing mode in the small Larmor radius limit is presented. The linear eigenmode structure and growth rate of the tearing mode obtained from the GeFi simulation are benchmarked against those from the GK eigenmode analysis in the limit of L>>{rho}{sub i}>{rho}{sub e}, where L is the current sheet half-width, {rho}{sub i} is ion Larmor radius, and {rho}{sub e} is electron Larmor radius. Second, to valid the GeFi model, both the linear and nonlinear tearing instabilities obtained from the GeFi simulations are compared with the Darwin particle-in-cell (PIC) simulation. The validation of the GeFi model for laboratory and space plasmas is also discussed. Meanwhile, the GeFi simulation is carried out to investigate both the linear and nonlinear tearing instabilities for cases with a broad range of L and guide magnetic field B{sub G}. It is found that in a wide current sheet with L > 4.5{rho}{sub eK}, the nonlinear saturation level of the island half-width is w{sub s}{approx_equal} 3{rho}{sub eK}, where {rho}{sub eK} = {rho}{sub e}B{sub 0}/B{sub x0}, B{sub 0} is the strength of the asymptotic magnetic field, and B{sub x0} is the antiparallel field. On the other hand, in a thin current sheet with L < 2.5{rho}{sub eK}, w{sub s}{approx_equal} 2.2 L. In addition, a high frequency electrostatic drift mode is found to coexist with the tearing mode.
- OSTI ID:
- 22047111
- Journal Information:
- Physics of Plasmas, Vol. 18, Issue 12; Other Information: (c) 2011 American Institute of Physics; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 1070-664X
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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