Physics
Scientific paper
Dec 2003
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2003agufmsh32b..01b&link_type=abstract
American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting 2003, abstract #SH32B-01
Physics
2764 Plasma Sheet, 2772 Plasma Waves And Instabilities, 7835 Magnetic Reconnection, 7843 Numerical Simulation Studies
Scientific paper
Recent simulation studies of kinetic instabilities in reconnecting plasmas suggests that investigation of electromagnetic waves, such as the drift-kink-instability (DKI) and the Kelvin Helmholtz instability (KHI), may yield a theory of reconnection. However, the combined results of linear theory, and explicit and implicit plasma simulations fail to support a direct link between kinking and reconnection. Instead, the surprise has been the unexpected importance of the lower-hybrid-drift instability (LHDI). This electrostatic instability, which simulations suggest saturates at a level that is too low to provide the anomalous resistivity necessary for reconnection, alters current sheets in several important ways. The LHDI causes velocity shear, current sheet thinning, and anisotropic heating of electrons. The velocity shear drives a KHI mode, which explains current sheet kinking at high mass ratios, and the current sheet thinning and anisotropic heating significantly enhance the growth rate of the tearing instability, which may explain onset. Clearly, there is strong motivation for studies of the LHDI under magnetotail conditions.
No associations
LandOfFree
The Importance of Electrostatic Instabilities in Magnetic Reconnection does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this scientific paper.
If you have personal experience with The Importance of Electrostatic Instabilities in Magnetic Reconnection, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and The Importance of Electrostatic Instabilities in Magnetic Reconnection will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-1645765