Sheared field tearing mode instability and creation of flux ropes in the earth magnetotail

Journal Article · Fri Mar 01 04:00:00 EST 1991 · Geophysical Research Letters (American Geophysical Union); (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/91GL00235· OSTI ID:5963346

Buechner, J ^[1]; Kuznetsova, M; Zelenyi, L M ^[2]

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1. Central Institute for Astrophysics, Potsdam (West Germany)
2. Space Research Inst., Moscow (USSR)

Spontaneous disruptions of magnetotail energy are supposed to be caused by a tearing mode instability. The authors show how the tail current sheet becomes unstable in the presence of a sufficiently large magnetic shear. The instability occurs because the magnetic shear removes the stabilizing influence of the gyroscopic electrons. Ion Landau damping determines the growth rate of the instability. A violation of the magnetic line conservation in a narrow region due to finite electron inertia would allow three-dimensional reconnection and flux rope formation. The resulting flux ropes are smaller in size and cause, therefore, weaker and more localized perturbations of the magnetosphere.

• OSTI ID: 5963346
• Journal Information: Geophysical Research Letters (American Geophysical Union); (United States), Journal Name: Geophysical Research Letters (American Geophysical Union); (United States) Vol. 18:3; ISSN 0094-8276; ISSN GPRLA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

661320* -- Auroral
Ionospheric
& Magnetospheric Phenomena-- (1992-)
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
CHARGED PARTICLES
DAMPING
EARTH ATMOSPHERE
EARTH MAGNETOSPHERE
ELECTRONS
ELEMENTARY PARTICLES
ENERGY LOSSES
FERMIONS
INSTABILITY
INSTABILITY GROWTH RATES
IONS
LANDAU DAMPING
LEPTONS
LOSSES
MAGNETIC FIELD CONFIGURATIONS
MAGNETIC FLUX
MAGNETIC RECONNECTION
MAGNETOTAIL
PLASMA INSTABILITY
PLASMA MACROINSTABILITIES
SHEAR
TEARING INSTABILITY