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Title: Current layer cascade in collisionless electron-magnetohydrodynamic reconnection and electron compressibility effects

Abstract

The nonlinear phase of a magnetic field line reconnection instability in a collisionless two-dimensional cold plasma is investigated in the Hall dominated regime, described by the electron-magnetohydrodynamic equations, which corresponds to the frequency range of whistler waves. It is found that the regular pattern of current density layers that forms in the initial nonlinear phase of the reconnection instability is destroyed by the onset of a Kelvin-Helmholtz-type instability and the formation of current jets that develop into vortex rings. These processes can be interpreted in terms of a Hasegawa-Mima-type regime inside the magnetic island and lead to the creation of magnetic vortices. It is shown that electron compressibility, which is related to charge separation, tends to stabilize these processes.

Authors:
; ;  [1]
  1. Dipartimento di Fisica and INFM, Universita di Pisa, 56100 Pisa (Italy)
Publication Date:
OSTI Identifier:
20657960
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
Physics of Plasmas
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 12; Journal Issue: 1; Other Information: DOI: 10.1063/1.1829064; (c) 2005 American Institute of Physics; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); Journal ID: ISSN 1070-664X
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY; COLD PLASMA; COLLISIONLESS PLASMA; COMPRESSIBILITY; ELECTRONS; MAGNETIC RECONNECTION; MAGNETOHYDRODYNAMICS; NONLINEAR PROBLEMS; PLASMA INSTABILITY; PLASMA WAVES; TWO-DIMENSIONAL CALCULATIONS; WHISTLERS

Citation Formats

Del Sarto, D, Califano, F, and Pegoraro, F. Current layer cascade in collisionless electron-magnetohydrodynamic reconnection and electron compressibility effects. United States: N. p., 2005. Web. doi:10.1063/1.1829064.
Del Sarto, D, Califano, F, & Pegoraro, F. Current layer cascade in collisionless electron-magnetohydrodynamic reconnection and electron compressibility effects. United States. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.1829064
Del Sarto, D, Califano, F, and Pegoraro, F. 2005. "Current layer cascade in collisionless electron-magnetohydrodynamic reconnection and electron compressibility effects". United States. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.1829064.
@article{osti_20657960,
title = {Current layer cascade in collisionless electron-magnetohydrodynamic reconnection and electron compressibility effects},
author = {Del Sarto, D and Califano, F and Pegoraro, F},
abstractNote = {The nonlinear phase of a magnetic field line reconnection instability in a collisionless two-dimensional cold plasma is investigated in the Hall dominated regime, described by the electron-magnetohydrodynamic equations, which corresponds to the frequency range of whistler waves. It is found that the regular pattern of current density layers that forms in the initial nonlinear phase of the reconnection instability is destroyed by the onset of a Kelvin-Helmholtz-type instability and the formation of current jets that develop into vortex rings. These processes can be interpreted in terms of a Hasegawa-Mima-type regime inside the magnetic island and lead to the creation of magnetic vortices. It is shown that electron compressibility, which is related to charge separation, tends to stabilize these processes.},
doi = {10.1063/1.1829064},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/20657960}, journal = {Physics of Plasmas},
issn = {1070-664X},
number = 1,
volume = 12,
place = {United States},
year = {Sat Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 2005},
month = {Sat Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 2005}
}