Reconnection dynamics with secondary tearing instability in compressible Hall plasmas

Journal Article · Mon Jun 15 04:00:00 EDT 2015 · Physics of Plasmas

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4922057· OSTI ID:22410429

Wang, L. C.; Li, L. J. ^[1]

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

The dynamics of a secondary tearing instability is systematically investigated based on compressible Hall magnetohydrodynamic. It is found that in the early nonlinear phase of magnetic reconnection before onset of the secondary tearing instability, the geometry of the magnetic field in the reconnection region tends to form a Y-type structure in a weak Hall regime, instead of an X-type structure in a strong Hall regime. A new scaling law is found that the maximum reconnection rate in the early nonlinear stage is proportional to the square of the ion inertial length (γ∝d{sub i}{sup 2}) in the weak Hall regime. In the late nonlinear phase, the thin elongated current sheet associated with the Y-type geometry of the magnetic field breaks up to form a magnetic island due to a secondary tearing instability. After the onset of the secondary tearing mode, the reconnection rate is substantially boosted by the formation of the X-type geometries of magnetic field in the reconnection regions. With a strong Hall effect, the maximum reconnection rate linearly increases with the increase of the ion inertial length (γ∝d{sub i})

• OSTI ID: 22410429
• Journal Information: Physics of Plasmas, Journal Name: Physics of Plasmas Journal Issue: 6 Vol. 22; ISSN PHPAEN; ISSN 1070-664X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
CURRENTS
GEOMETRY
HALL EFFECT
MAGNETIC FIELDS
MAGNETIC ISLANDS
MAGNETIC RECONNECTION
MAGNETOHYDRODYNAMICS
NONLINEAR PROBLEMS
PLASMA
SCALING LAWS
TEARING INSTABILITY