Particle simulation of magnetic reconnection in the magnetotail configuration

Journal Article · Sat Dec 01 04:00:00 EST 1990 · Journal of Geophysical Research; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/JA095iA12p20877· OSTI ID:5268800

Zwingmann, W; Schindler, K ^[1]; Wallace, J; Birn, J ^[2]

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1. Ruhr-Univ. Bochum (West Germany)
2. Los Alamos National Lab., NM (USA)

The authors investigate the time development of a magnetotail like plasma sheet equilibrium, using the two-dimensional implicit electromagnetic particle code VENUS. As a starting point, they treat the simplified case of equal ion and electron masses. It is shown that a tearing instability develops if the magnetic field component perpendicular to the sheet is small enough and if the ion gyroradius is comparable to the plasma sheet thickness. An earlier estimate of the stability criterion has been confirmed approximately. In contrast to the case of a one-dimensional sheet equilibrium, the instability does not saturate. Instead, the unstable dynamics continues to evolve by formation, acceleration, and ejection of a plasmoid structure. The analysis of the distribution function in the nonlinear stage shows anisotropic heating and the generation of a bulk flow in the tail direction, caused by the development of the plasmoid structure. There is a local enhancement of the drift velocity in the cross-tail direction in the vicinity of the neutral line. Detailed investigation of the particles at the neutral line presents evidence that the current is significantly carried by resonant particles, which is typical for a kinetic tearing instability. They briefly address the case of an ion to electron mass ratio of 10, where the ion tearing instability still develops. Compared to the case of equal masses, electron stabilization leads to smaller growth rate and to an enhanced wavelength, according to theory.

• OSTI ID: 5268800
• Journal Information: Journal of Geophysical Research; (United States), Journal Name: Journal of Geophysical Research; (United States) Vol. 95:A12; ISSN 0148-0227; ISSN JGREA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640201* -- Atmospheric Physics-- Auroral
Ionospheric
& Magetospheric Phenomena
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
ACCELERATION
COMPUTER CODES
COMPUTERIZED SIMULATION
DIMENSIONS
DISTRIBUTION FUNCTIONS
DYNAMICS
EARTH ATMOSPHERE
EARTH MAGNETOSPHERE
FUNCTIONS
HEATING
INSTABILITY
MAGNETIC RECONNECTION
MAGNETOTAIL
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
MECHANICS
PLASMA DRIFT
PLASMA INSTABILITY
PLASMA MACROINSTABILITIES
PLASMA SHEET
PLASMOIDS
SIMULATION
TEARING INSTABILITY
THICKNESS
V CODES