Suppression of the collisionless tearing mode by flow shear: implications for reconnection onset in the Alfvénic solar wind

Mallet, A.; Eriksson, S.; Swisdak, M.; Juno, J.

doi:10.1017/s002237782500025x

Suppression of the collisionless tearing mode by flow shear: implications for reconnection onset in the Alfvénic solar wind

Journal Article · Fri Apr 25 00:00:00 EDT 2025 · Journal of Plasma Physics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1017/s002237782500025x· OSTI ID:2566831

^[1]; ^[2]; ^[3]; ^[4]

University of California, Berkeley, CA (United States)
Univ. of Colorado, Boulder, CO (United States)
Univ. of Maryland, College Park, MD (United States)
Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL), Princeton, NJ (United States)

We analyse the collisionless tearing mode instability of a current sheet with a strong shear flow across the layer. The growth rate decreases with increasing shear flow, and is completely stabilised as the shear flow becomes Alfvénic. We also show that, in the presence of strong flow shear, the tearing mode growth rate decreases with increasing background ion-to-electron temperature ratio, the opposite behaviour to the tearing mode without flow shear. We find that even a relatively small flow shear is enough to dramatically alter the scaling behaviour of the mode, because the growth rate is small compared with the shear flow across the ion scales (but large compared with shear flow across the electron scales). Our results may explain the relative absence of reconnection events in the near-Sun Alfvénic solar wind observed recently by NASA’s Parker Solar Probe.

View Accepted Manuscript (DOE)

Research Organization:: Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL), Princeton, NJ (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Laboratory Directed Research and Development (LDRD) Program

Grant/Contract Number:: AC02-09CH11466

OSTI ID:: 2566831

Journal Information:: Journal of Plasma Physics, Journal Name: Journal of Plasma Physics Journal Issue: 2 Vol. 91; ISSN 0022-3778

Publisher:: Cambridge University PressCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

References (41)

On a plasma sheath separating regions of oppositely directed magnetic field Harris, E. G. Il Nuovo Cimento, Vol. 23, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02733547	journal	January 1962
In-Situ Observations of Reconnection in Space Paschmann, Götz; Øieroset, Marit; Phan, Tai Space Science Reviews, Vol. 178, Issue 2-4 https://doi.org/10.1007/s11214-012-9957-2	journal	February 2013
Laboratory Study of Collisionless Magnetic Reconnection Ji, H.; Yoo, J.; Fox, W. Space Science Reviews, Vol. 219, Issue 8 https://doi.org/10.1007/s11214-023-01024-3	journal	November 2023
Disruption of Alfvénic turbulence by magnetic reconnection in a collisionless plasma Mallet, Alfred; Schekochihin, Alexander A.; Chandran, Benjamin D. G. Journal of Plasma Physics, Vol. 83, Issue 6 https://doi.org/10.1017/S0022377817000812	journal	November 2017
Development of tearing instability in a current sheet forming by sheared incompressible flow Tolman, Elizabeth A.; Loureiro, Nuno F.; Uzdensky, Dmitri A. Journal of Plasma Physics, Vol. 84, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1017/S002237781800017X	journal	February 2018
Ion Landau damping and drift tearing modes Connor, J. W.; Ham, C. J.; Hastie, R. J. Journal of Plasma Physics, Vol. 85, Issue 2 https://doi.org/10.1017/S0022377819000217	journal	March 2019
On the violation of the zeroth law of turbulence in space plasmas Meyrand, R.; Squire, J.; Schekochihin, A. A. Journal of Plasma Physics, Vol. 87, Issue 3 https://doi.org/10.1017/S0022377821000489	journal	May 2021
MHD turbulence: a biased review Schekochihin, Alexander A. Journal of Plasma Physics, Vol. 88, Issue 5 https://doi.org/10.1017/S0022377822000721	journal	October 2022
Alfvénic collisionless magnetic reconnection and the Hall term Shay, M. A.; Drake, J. F.; Rogers, B. N. Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics, Vol. 106, Issue A3 https://doi.org/10.1029/1999JA001007	journal	March 2001
Geospace Environmental Modeling (GEM) Magnetic Reconnection Challenge Birn, J.; Drake, J. F.; Shay, M. A. Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics, Vol. 106, Issue A3 https://doi.org/10.1029/1999JA900449	journal	March 2001
Diamagnetic suppression of component magnetic reconnection at the magnetopause: DIAMAGNETIC SUPPRESSION OF RECONNECTION Swisdak, M.; Rogers, B. N.; Drake, J. F. Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics, Vol. 108, Issue A5 https://doi.org/10.1029/2002JA009726	journal	May 2003
Stability of the Magnetotail Current Sheet With Normal Magnetic Field and Field‐Aligned Plasma Flows Shi, Chen; Artemyev, Anton; Velli, Marco Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics, Vol. 126, Issue 11 https://doi.org/10.1029/2021JA029711	journal	November 2021
Nonlocal stability analysis of the MHD Kelvin-Helmholtz instability in a compressible plasma Miura, Akira; Pritchett, P. L. Journal of Geophysical Research, Vol. 87, Issue A9 https://doi.org/10.1029/JA087iA09p07431	journal	January 1982
Fast plasmoid-mediated reconnection in a solar flare Yan, Xiaoli; Xue, Zhike; Jiang, Chaowei Nature Communications, Vol. 13, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-022-28269-w	journal	February 2022
High-frequency heating of the solar wind triggered by low-frequency turbulence Squire, Jonathan; Meyrand, Romain; Kunz, Matthew W. Nature Astronomy, Vol. 6, Issue 6 https://doi.org/10.1038/s41550-022-01624-z	journal	March 2022
Alfvénic versus non-Alfvénic turbulence in the inner heliosphere as observed by Parker Solar Probe Shi, C.; Velli, M.; Panasenco, O. Astronomy & Astrophysics, Vol. 650 https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/202039818	journal	June 2021
Solar wind Alfvénicity during solar cycle 23 and 24 D’Amicis, R.; Alielden, K.; Perrone, D. Astronomy & Astrophysics, Vol. 654 https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/202140600	journal	October 2021
Clustering of magnetic reconnection exhausts in the solar wind: An automated detection study Fargette, Naïs; Lavraud, Benoît; Rouillard, Alexis P. Astronomy & Astrophysics, Vol. 674 https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/202346043	journal	June 2023
Theory and simulations of the scaling of magnetic reconnection with symmetric shear flow Cassak, P. A. Physics of Plasmas, Vol. 18, Issue 7 https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3602859	journal	July 2011
Reduced fluid-kinetic equations for low-frequency dynamics, magnetic reconnection, and electron heating in low-beta plasmas Zocco, Alessandro; Schekochihin, Alexander A. Physics of Plasmas, Vol. 18, Issue 10 https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3628639	journal	October 2011
Resistive tearing instability with equilibrium shear flow Chen, X. L.; Morrison, P. J. Physics of Fluids B: Plasma Physics, Vol. 2, Issue 3 https://doi.org/10.1063/1.859339	journal	March 1990
On the Origin of Highly AlfvÉNic slow Solar wind D’Amicis, R.; Bruno, R. The Astrophysical Journal, Vol. 805, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-637X/805/1/84	journal	May 2015
Resistive tearing modes in a sheet pinch with shear flow Hofman, I. Plasma Physics, Vol. 17, Issue 2 https://doi.org/10.1088/0032-1028/17/2/005	journal	February 1975
Theory of resistive modes in the ballooning representation Pegoraro, F.; Schep, T. J. Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion, Vol. 28, Issue 4 https://doi.org/10.1088/0741-3335/28/4/003	journal	April 1986
ECCD-induced sawtooth crashes at W7-X Zanini, M.; Laqua, H. P.; Thomsen, H. Nuclear Fusion, Vol. 60, Issue 10 https://doi.org/10.1088/1741-4326/aba72b	journal	September 2020
Reconnection of Quasi-Singular Current Sheets: the “Ideal” Tearing mode Pucci, Fulvia; Velli, Marco The Astrophysical Journal, Vol. 780, Issue 2 https://doi.org/10.1088/2041-8205/780/2/L19	journal	December 2013
Disruption of sheet-like structures in Alfvénic turbulence by magnetic reconnection Mallet, A.; Schekochihin, A. A.; Chandran, B. D. G. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, Vol. 468, Issue 4 https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/stx670	journal	March 2017
Magnetic Reconnection Onset via Disruption of a Forming Current Sheet by the Tearing Instability Uzdensky, D. A.; Loureiro, N. F. Physical Review Letters, Vol. 116, Issue 10 https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.116.105003	journal	March 2016
Role of Magnetic Reconnection in Magnetohydrodynamic Turbulence Loureiro, Nuno F.; Boldyrev, Stanislav Physical Review Letters, Vol. 118, Issue 24 https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.118.245101	journal	June 2017
X -Point Collapse and Saturation in the Nonlinear Tearing Mode Reconnection Loureiro, N. F.; Cowley, S. C.; Dorland, W. D. Physical Review Letters, Vol. 95, Issue 23 https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.95.235003	journal	November 2005
Collisionless Reconnection in Magnetohydrodynamic and Kinetic Turbulence Loureiro, Nuno F.; Boldyrev, Stanislav The Astrophysical Journal, Vol. 850, Issue 2 https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/aa9754	journal	December 2017
Magnetohydrodynamic Turbulence in the Plasmoid-mediated Regime Comisso, L.; Huang, Y. -M.; Lingam, M. The Astrophysical Journal, Vol. 854, Issue 2 https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/aaac83	journal	February 2018
Evolution of Large-amplitude Alfvén Waves and Generation of Switchbacks in the Expanding Solar Wind Mallet, Alfred; Squire, Jonathan; Chandran, Benjamin D. G. The Astrophysical Journal, Vol. 918, Issue 2 https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/ac0c12	journal	September 2021
Kinetic-scale Current Sheets in Near-Sun Solar Wind: Properties, Scale-dependent Features and Reconnection Onset Lotekar, A. B.; Vasko, I. Y.; Phan, T. The Astrophysical Journal, Vol. 929, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/ac5bd9	journal	April 2022
Characteristics of Multi-scale Current Sheets in the Solar Wind at 1 au Associated with Magnetic Reconnection and the Case for a Heliospheric Current Sheet Avalanche Eriksson, Stefan; Swisdak, Marc; Weygand, James M. The Astrophysical Journal, Vol. 933, Issue 2 https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/ac73f6	journal	July 2022
Proton and Electron Temperatures in the Solar Wind and Their Correlations with the Solar Wind Speed Shi, Chen; Velli, Marco; Lionello, Roberto The Astrophysical Journal, Vol. 944, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/acb341	journal	February 2023
Parker Solar Probe Observations of Magnetic Reconnection Exhausts in Quiescent Plasmas near the Sun Eriksson, Stefan; Swisdak, Marc; Mallet, Alfred The Astrophysical Journal, Vol. 965, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/ad25f0	journal	April 2024
Compositional Metrics of Fast and Slow Alfvénic Solar Wind Emerging from Coronal Holes and Their Boundaries Ervin, Tamar; Bale, Stuart D.; Badman, Samuel T. The Astrophysical Journal, Vol. 969, Issue 2 https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/ad4604	journal	July 2024
Parker Solar Probe In Situ Observations of Magnetic Reconnection Exhausts during Encounter 1 Phan, T. D.; Bale, S. D.; Eastwood, J. P. The Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series, Vol. 246, Issue 2 https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4365/ab55ee	journal	February 2020
The Evolution and Role of Solar Wind Turbulence in the Inner Heliosphere Chen, C. H. K.; Bale, S. D.; Bonnell, J. W. The Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series, Vol. 246, Issue 2 https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4365/ab60a3	journal	February 2020
Kinetic-scale Current Sheets in the Solar Wind at 1 au: Scale-dependent Properties and Critical Current Density Vasko, I. Y.; Alimov, K.; Phan, T. The Astrophysical Journal Letters, Vol. 926, Issue 2 https://doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213/ac4fc4	journal	February 2022

Similar Records

The Impact of Alfvénic Shear Flow on Magnetic Reconnection and Turbulence

Journal Article · Mon Oct 06 20:00:00 EDT 2025 · The Astrophysical Journal. Letters · OSTI ID:2998621

The effect of shear flow on the resistive tearing instability

Journal Article · Wed Oct 29 20:00:00 EDT 2025 · Journal of Plasma Physics · OSTI ID:3001891

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

Thesis/Dissertation · Mon Jun 01 00:00:00 EDT 1992 · OSTI ID:10155482

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
plasma instabilities
space plasma physics

Suppression of the collisionless tearing mode by flow shear: implications for reconnection onset in the Alfvénic solar wind

Citation Formats

References (41)

Similar Records

Related Subjects