Resistive magnetohydrodynamic studies of tearing mode instability with equilibrium shear flow and magnetic reconnection

Thesis/Dissertation · Mon Jun 01 04:00:00 EDT 1992

OSTI ID:10155482

Ofman, L

Magnetic reconnection and tearing can play an important role in fusion experiments and in space plasma. This thesis is devoted to the magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) study of the linear and evolution of the resistive tearing mode instability in the presence of equilibrium shear flow, and the reconnection of an x-point magnetic field configuration. Numerical solutions of the linearized time-dependent MHD equations and growth rate scaling are obtained. The results of computations are compared to previous work, and the computed growth rate scalings agree with analytical predictions. The introduction of viscosity and small equilibrium shear flow alters the growth rate scaling considerably. When the shear flow is large, the growth rate behaves in a more complex way, and Kelvin-Helmholtz instability effects are present. The linear evolution of the double tearing mode with equilibrium shear flow and viscosity is investigated numerically. The dispersion relation for the growth rate of the double tearing instability is generalized to include flow. Relatively small shear flow at the resonant surfaces has a stabilizing effect on the double tearing mode. For Reynolds number comparable or larger than the magnetic Reynolds number a stabilizing effect is found. The nonlinear evolution of the tearing mode instability with equilibrium shear flow is investigated via numerical solutions of the resistive incompressible 2-D MHD equations. The simulations are initiated with solutions of the linearized MHD equations. Magnetic energy release decreases, and the saturation time increases with shear flow. The validity of the numerical solutions is tested by verifying that the total energy and helicity are conserved.

• Research Organization: Texas Univ., Austin, TX (United States). Inst. for Fusion Studies
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: FG05-80ET53088
• OSTI ID: 10155482
• Report Number(s): DOE/ET/53088--552; IFSR--552; ON: UN92016178
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
700340
700370
DISPERSION RELATIONS
INSTABILITY GROWTH RATES
MAGNETIC FIELDS
MAGNETIC RECONNECTION
MAGNETOHYDRODYNAMICS
PLASMA FLUID AND MHD PROPERTIES
PLASMA WAVES, OSCILLATIONS, AND INSTABILITIES
SHEAR
TEARING INSTABILITY
VISCOSITY