Fast collisionless tearing in an anisotropic neutral sheet

Journal Article · Sun Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1984 · Geophys. Res. Lett.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/GL011i001p00012· OSTI ID:6741873

Chen, J; Lyon, J G; Fedder, J A

The collisionless tearing mode in a neutral sheet is studied in the presence of ion temperature anisotropy using Vlasov description for both ions and electrons. It is found that the growth rate of the instability is significantly enhanced if T/sub i/..nu..>1 where the symbols I and II refer to the directions perpendicular and parallel to the equilibrium magnetic field. For typical magnetotail parameters with modest temperature anisotropy, it is shown that the linear e-folding time is reduced to a small fraction of the time delays believed to precede the onset of reconnection. This enhancement of the growth rate is due to the Lorentz force acting on the ions that cross the neutral plane, traversing beyond the conventional electron tearing layer.

• Research Organization: Science Applications, Inc., McLean, VA 22101
• OSTI ID: 6741873
• Journal Information: Geophys. Res. Lett.; (United States), Journal Name: Geophys. Res. Lett.; (United States) Vol. 11:1; ISSN GPRLA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640203* -- Atmospheric Physics-- Magnetospheric Phenomena-- (-1987)
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
COLLISIONLESS PLASMA
EARTH ATMOSPHERE
ELECTRON TEMPERATURE
INSTABILITY
INSTABILITY GROWTH RATES
ION TEMPERATURE
LORENTZ FORCE
MAGNETOSPHERE
MAGNETOTAIL
PLASMA
PLASMA INSTABILITY
PLASMA MACROINSTABILITIES
TEARING INSTABILITY