Constructing Current Singularity in a 3D Line-tied Plasma

Zhou, Yao; Huang, Yi-Min; Qin, Hong; Bhattacharjee, A.

doi:10.3847/1538-4357/aa9b84

Constructing Current Singularity in a 3D Line-tied Plasma

Journal Article · Wed Dec 27 00:00:00 EST 2017 · The Astrophysical Journal (Online)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/aa9b84· OSTI ID:1430536

^[1]; ^[1]; Qin, Hong ^[2]; Bhattacharjee, A. ^[1]

Princeton Univ., NJ (United States). Dept. of Astrophysical Sciences and Plasma Physics Lab.
Princeton Univ., NJ (United States). Dept. of Astrophysical Sciences and Plasma Physics Lab.; Univ. of Science and Technology of China, Hefei (China). Dept. of Modern Physics

We revisit Parker's conjecture of current singularity formation in 3D line-tied plasmas using a recently developed numerical method, variational integration for ideal magnetohydrodynamics in Lagrangian labeling. With the frozen-in equation built-in, the method is free of artificial reconnection, and hence it is arguably an optimal tool for studying current singularity formation. Using this method, the formation of current singularity has previously been confirmed in the Hahm–Kulsrud–Taylor problem in 2D. In this paper, we extend this problem to 3D line-tied geometry. The linear solution, which is singular in 2D, is found to be smooth for arbitrary system length. However, with finite amplitude, the linear solution can become pathological when the system is sufficiently long. The nonlinear solutions turn out to be smooth for short systems. Nonetheless, the scaling of peak current density versus system length suggests that the nonlinear solution may become singular at finite length. Finally, with the results in hand, we can neither confirm nor rule out this possibility conclusively, since we cannot obtain solutions with system length near the extrapolated critical value.

View Accepted Manuscript (DOE)

Research Organization:: Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States). Oak Ridge Leadership Computing Facility (OLCF); Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL), Princeton, NJ (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Science (SC)

Grant/Contract Number:: AC02-09CH11466; AC05-00OR22725

OSTI ID:: 1430536

Journal Information:: The Astrophysical Journal (Online), Journal Name: The Astrophysical Journal (Online) Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 852; ISSN 1538-4357

Publisher:: Institute of Physics (IOP)Copyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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