Instability interplay in a magnetized streaming plasma

Journal Article · Wed Jun 16 00:00:00 EDT 2010 · AIP Conference Proceedings

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3460155· OSTI ID:21366951

Pegoraro, F; Califano, F ^[1]; Faganello, M ^[1]; Tenerani, A ^[1]

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1. Physics Department, University of Pisa, Pisa (Italy)

The interplay between the Kelvin-Helmholtz, the Rayleigh-Taylor and the Magnetic Re-connection instabilities in a magnetized inhomogeneous plasma with a sheared velocity field is investigated within the framework of a two-dimensional, two fluid model. This magnetic configuration is of interest for the investigation of the mixing process between the solar wind plasma and the Earth's magnetospheric plasma at low latitudes at the magnetospheric flank.It is found that the combined role of the density inhomogeneity and of the in-plane magnetic field during the development of the Kelvin Helmholtz instability is multi faceted. It leads to small scale magnetic islands through the development of induced magnetic field line reconnection but at the same time the in-plane magnetic field preserves the global coherence of the vortex merging process (vortex pairing).

• OSTI ID: 21366951
• Journal Information: AIP Conference Proceedings, Vol. 1242, Issue 1; Conference: International symposium on plasmas in the laboratory and the Universe: Interactions, patterns, and turbulence, Como (Italy), 1-4 Dec 2009; Other Information: DOI: 10.1063/1.3460155; (c) 2010 American Institute of Physics; ISSN 0094-243X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
HELMHOLTZ INSTABILITY
HYDRODYNAMICS
HYDROMAGNETIC WAVES
INHOMOGENEOUS PLASMA
MAGNETIC FIELDS
MAGNETIC ISLANDS
PLASMA SIMULATION
SOLAR WIND
TWO-DIMENSIONAL CALCULATIONS
FLUID MECHANICS
INSTABILITY
MAGNETIC FIELD CONFIGURATIONS
MECHANICS
PLASMA
PLASMA INSTABILITY
PLASMA MACROINSTABILITIES
SIMULATION
SOLAR ACTIVITY
STELLAR ACTIVITY
STELLAR WINDS