Tearing of a current sheet and reconnection of magnetic lines of force

Journal Article · Sat Jul 01 04:00:00 EDT 1978 · Sov. J. Plasma Phys. (Engl. Transl.); (United States)

OSTI ID:6461411

Bulanov, S V; Sasorov, P V

The evolution of finite-amplitude perturbations in a neutral current sheet which describe the nonlinear stage of the tearing-mode instability is studied. Solutions derived in the hydrodynamic approximation describe tearing or the self-intersection of trajectories in a thin current sheet in a collisionless plasma. During the tearing, the plasma density vanishes simultaneously over a finite region. The motion of a decaying current sheet due to the tension associated with the self-consistent magnetic field is studied; the appearance of screening currents in the external plasma is taken into account. Regions of magnetic-flux reconnection propagate along the sheet at a velocity higher than the Alfven velocity. A numerical simulation of the decay of the sheet is carried out by the macroparticle method.

• Research Organization: P. N. Lebedev Physics Institute, Academy of Sciences of the USSR, Moscow; Institute of Applied Geophysics, Main Administration of the Hydrometeorological Service
• OSTI ID: 6461411
• Journal Information: Sov. J. Plasma Phys. (Engl. Transl.); (United States), Journal Name: Sov. J. Plasma Phys. (Engl. Transl.); (United States) Vol. 4:4; ISSN SJPPD
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
700107* -- Fusion Energy-- Plasma Research-- Instabilities
CLOSED PLASMA DEVICES
COLLISIONLESS PLASMA
DISTURBANCES
FLUID MECHANICS
HYDRODYNAMICS
INSTABILITY
MAGNETOHYDRODYNAMICS
MECHANICS
NONLINEAR PROBLEMS
PLASMA
PLASMA INSTABILITY
PLASMA MACROINSTABILITIES
PLASMA SIMULATION
SOLAR ACTIVITY
SOLAR FLARES
TEARING INSTABILITY
THERMONUCLEAR DEVICES
TOKAMAK DEVICES