Vortex-induced tearing mode instability as a source of flux transfer events

Journal Article · Thu Nov 01 00:00:00 EST 1990 · Journal of Geophysical Research; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/JA095iA11p18861· OSTI ID:5103083

Pu, Z Y; Hou, P T ^[1]; Liu, Z X ^[2]

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1. Peking Univ., Beijing (China)
2. Center for Space Research and Applications, Beijing (China)

A two-dimensional MHD simulation is performed to investigate the evolution and the asymptotic quasi-static state (AQSS) of the vortex-induced tearing mode instability (VITM) at the magnetospheric boundary. The original VITM model is extended by including B{sub y}, a magnetic field component along the invariant direction, and varying N, the number density, which makes the model applicable to a wide region on the dayside magnetopause. The AWSS is found to be characterized by a large-scale magnetic island together with a colocated vortex tube. The structure of the magnetic island is studied and compared with observations. The possible role of the VITM in the formation of flux transfer events is discussed.

• OSTI ID: 5103083
• Journal Information: Journal of Geophysical Research; (United States), Vol. 95:A11; ISSN 0148-0227
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
EARTH MAGNETOSPHERE
MAGNETIC RECONNECTION
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
TEARING INSTABILITY
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
COMPUTERIZED SIMULATION
INTERPLANETARY MAGNETIC FIELDS
MAGNETIC FLUX
MAGNETIC ISLANDS
MAGNETOHYDRODYNAMICS
MAGNETOPAUSE
SHEAR
TWO-DIMENSIONAL CALCULATIONS
VORTICES
EARTH ATMOSPHERE
EVALUATION
FLUID MECHANICS
HYDRODYNAMICS
INSTABILITY
MAGNETIC FIELD CONFIGURATIONS
MAGNETIC FIELDS
MECHANICS
PLASMA INSTABILITY
PLASMA MACROINSTABILITIES
SIMULATION
640201* - Atmospheric Physics- Auroral
Ionospheric
& Magetospheric Phenomena