Plasmoid instability in double current sheets

Nemati, M. J.; Wei, L.; Selim, B. I.

doi:10.1063/1.4906052

Title: Plasmoid instability in double current sheets

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Abstract

The linear behavior of plasmoid instability in double current sheet configurations, namely, double plasmoid mode (DPM), is analytically and numerically investigated within the framework of a reduced magnetohydrodynamic model. Analytical analysis shows that if the separation of double current sheets is sufficiently small [κx{sub s}≪κ{sup 2/9}S{sub L}{sup 1/3}], the growth rate of DPMs scales as κ{sup 2/3}S{sub L}{sup 0} in the non-constant-ψ regime, where κ=kL{sub CS}/2 is the wave vector measured by the half length of the system L{sub CS}/2, 2x{sub s} is the separation between two resonant surfaces, and S{sub L}=L{sub CS}V{sub A}/2η is Lundquist number with V{sub A} and η being Alfven velocity and resistivity, respectively. If the separation is very large [κx{sub s}≫κ{sup 2/9}S{sub L}{sup 1/3}], the growth rate scales as κ{sup −2/5}S{sub L}{sup 2/5} in the constant-ψ regime. Furthermore, it is also analytically found that the maximum wave number scales as x{sub s}{sup −9/7}S{sub L}{sup 3/7} at the transition position between these two regimes, and the corresponding maximum growth rate scales as x{sub s}{sup −6/7}S{sub L}{sup 2/7} there. The analytically predicted scalings are verified in some limits through direct numerical calculations.

Authors:

Nemati, M. J.; Wei, L. ^[1]; Selim, B. I. ^[2]

Key Laboratory of Materials Modification by Beams of the Ministry of Education, School of Physics and Optoelectronic Technology, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024 (China)
School of Mathematical Sciences, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024 (China)

Publication Date:: Thu Jan 15 00:00:00 EST 2015

OSTI Identifier:: 22407984

Resource Type:: Journal Article

Journal Name:: Physics of Plasmas

Additional Journal Information:: Journal Volume: 22; Journal Issue: 1; Other Information: (c) 2015 AIP Publishing LLC; 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; ALFVEN WAVES; CONFIGURATION; CURRENTS; PLASMA INSTABILITY; PLASMA SHEET; RESONANCE; SCALING; SURFACES; VECTORS

Citation Formats


                    Nemati, M. J., Wang, Z. X., E-mail: zxwang@dlut.edu.cn, Wei, L., and Selim, B. I. Plasmoid instability in double current sheets.  United States: N. p., 2015. 
        Web.  doi:10.1063/1.4906052.

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                    Nemati, M. J., Wang, Z. X., E-mail: zxwang@dlut.edu.cn, Wei, L., & Selim, B. I. Plasmoid instability in double current sheets.  United States.  https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4906052

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                    Nemati, M. J., Wang, Z. X., E-mail: zxwang@dlut.edu.cn, Wei, L., and Selim, B. I. 2015.  
        "Plasmoid instability in double current sheets".  United States.  https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4906052.

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@article{osti_22407984,

  title        = {Plasmoid instability in double current sheets},

  author       = {Nemati, M. J. and Wang, Z. X., E-mail: zxwang@dlut.edu.cn and Wei, L. and Selim, B. I.},

  abstractNote = {The linear behavior of plasmoid instability in double current sheet configurations, namely, double plasmoid mode (DPM), is analytically and numerically investigated within the framework of a reduced magnetohydrodynamic model. Analytical analysis shows that if the separation of double current sheets is sufficiently small [κx{sub s}≪κ{sup 2/9}S{sub L}{sup 1/3}], the growth rate of DPMs scales as κ{sup 2/3}S{sub L}{sup 0} in the non-constant-ψ regime, where κ=kL{sub CS}/2 is the wave vector measured by the half length of the system L{sub CS}/2, 2x{sub s} is the separation between two resonant surfaces, and S{sub L}=L{sub CS}V{sub A}/2η is Lundquist number with V{sub A} and η being Alfven velocity and resistivity, respectively. If the separation is very large [κx{sub s}≫κ{sup 2/9}S{sub L}{sup 1/3}], the growth rate scales as κ{sup −2/5}S{sub L}{sup 2/5} in the constant-ψ regime. Furthermore, it is also analytically found that the maximum wave number scales as x{sub s}{sup −9/7}S{sub L}{sup 3/7} at the transition position between these two regimes, and the corresponding maximum growth rate scales as x{sub s}{sup −6/7}S{sub L}{sup 2/7} there. The analytically predicted scalings are verified in some limits through direct numerical calculations.},

  doi          = {10.1063/1.4906052},

  url          = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/22407984},
  journal      = {Physics of Plasmas},

  issn         = {1070-664X},

  number       = 1,

  volume       = 22,

  place        = {United States},

  year         = {Thu Jan 15 00:00:00 EST 2015},

  month        = {Thu Jan 15 00:00:00 EST 2015}

}

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