Dynamics of the plasma sheet in the magnetotail: Interrelation of turbulent flows and thin current sheet structures

Physics

Scientific paper

Rate now

  [ 0.00 ] – not rated yet Voters 0   Comments 0

Details

Scientific paper

Dynamics of the magnetotail involves elementary processes of magnetic field merging (reconnection layer formation) occurring on medium spatial scales. Every such process features two different stages, a fast one and a subsequent slower one. The corresponding short time scale T1 is associated with disturbances propagating in the tail lobes. The longer time scale T2 is associated with plasma motions in the plasma sheet. A disturbance appearing in the magnetotail on the time scale T1 results in a loss of equilibrium in the plasma sheet. By means of theoretical argument and numerical simulation, it is shown that the relaxation process which follows on the time scale T2, produces extremely thin embedded current sheets, along with generation of fast plasma flows. The process provides an effective mechanism for transformation of magnetic energy accumulated in the magnetotail, into energy of plasma flows. The fast flows may drive turbulent motions on shorter spatial scales. In their turn, those motions can locally produce very thin current sheets; after that, nonlinear tearing process leads to generation of neutral lines, and reconnection. The latter produces new fast disturbances on the time scale T1 closing the feedback loop.

No associations

LandOfFree

Say what you really think

Search LandOfFree.com for scientists and scientific papers. Rate them and share your experience with other people.

Rating

Dynamics of the plasma sheet in the magnetotail: Interrelation of turbulent flows and thin current sheet structures 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 Dynamics of the plasma sheet in the magnetotail: Interrelation of turbulent flows and thin current sheet structures, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Dynamics of the plasma sheet in the magnetotail: Interrelation of turbulent flows and thin current sheet structures will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

     

Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-835408

  Search
All data on this website is collected from public sources. Our data reflects the most accurate information available at the time of publication.