Fast Resistive Reconnection Regime in the Nonlinear Evolution of Double Tearing Modes

Journal Article · Fri Nov 02 04:00:00 EDT 2007 · Physical Review Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PHYSREVLETT.99.185004· OSTI ID:21024387

Wang, Z X ^[1]; Wang, X G; Lei, Y A ^[2]; Dong, J Q ^[3]; Long, Y X; Mou, Z Z; Qu, W X ^[3]

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1. State Key Lab of Materials Modifications by Beams, School of Physics and Optoelectronic Technology, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, China 116024 (China)
2. School of Physics, Peking University, Beijing, China 100871 (China)
3. Southwestern Institute of Physics, P.O. Box 432, Chengdu, China 610041 (China)

Phases of nonlinear double tearing modes are studied numerically. The first two phases lead to the formation and growth of magnetic islands and are followed by a fast reconnection phase to complete the process, driven by a process of neighboring magnetic separatrices merging and magnetic islands coupling. The fast growth can be understood as a result of the island interaction equivalent to a steadily inward flux boundary driven. Resistivity dependences for various phases are studied and shown by scaling analysis for the first time. It is found that after an early Sweet-Parker phase with a {eta}{sup 1/2}-scale, a slow nonlinear phase in a Rutherford regime with a {eta}{sup 1}-scale is followed by the fast reconnection phase with a {eta}{sup 1/5}-scale.

• OSTI ID: 21024387
• Journal Information: Physical Review Letters, Journal Name: Physical Review Letters Journal Issue: 18 Vol. 99; ISSN 0031-9007; ISSN PRLTAO
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
EVOLUTION
INTERACTIONS
MAGNETIC ISLANDS
NONLINEAR PROBLEMS
TEARING INSTABILITY