Influences of sub-Alfvenic shear flows on nonlinear evolution of magnetic reconnection in compressible plasmas

Journal Article · Thu Sep 15 04:00:00 EDT 2011 · Physics of Plasmas

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3643792· OSTI ID:22043478

Zhang, X; Li, L J; Wang, L C; Li, J H; Ma, Z W ^[1]

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1. Institute for Fusion Theory and Simulation, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027 (China)

Influences of sub-Alfvenic shear flows on the nonlinear evolution of the magnetic reconnection are studied in the framework of compressible resistive MHD and compressible Hall MHD. It is found for the first time that the sub-Alfvenic shear flow can either stabilize or destabilize magnetic reconnection, which is mainly determined by the plasma beta and the half thickness of the shear flow ({lambda}{sub v}). The shear flow exhibits a suppressing effect on magnetic reconnection and the boosting effect nearly disappears for the beta plasma {beta} < or approx. 1, which is associated with the presence of a pair of discontinuities in the upper and lower inflow region. The shear flow has the boosting effect on magnetic reconnection when the half thickness of the shear flow exceeds a critical value in the high beta plasma which is in a good agreement with the results from incompressible simulation. With the inclusion of the Hall effect, shear flow can still either stabilize or destabilize magnetic reconnection, but the boosting effect becomes weaker as the ion inertial length d{sub i} increases.

• OSTI ID: 22043478
• Journal Information: Physics of Plasmas, Journal Name: Physics of Plasmas Journal Issue: 9 Vol. 18; ISSN PHPAEN; ISSN 1070-664X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
ALFVEN WAVES
HALF-THICKNESS
HALL EFFECT
HIGH-BETA PLASMA
INCLUSIONS
IONS
MAGNETIC RECONNECTION
MAGNETOHYDRODYNAMICS
NONLINEAR PROBLEMS
PLASMA INSTABILITY
PLASMA SIMULATION