Plasmoid Formation in Current Sheet with Finite Normal Magnetic Component

Zhu, Ping; Raeder, J.

doi:10.1103/physrevlett.110.235005

Cited by 21 publications

(25 citation statements)

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“…We previously reported results demonstrating such a scenario from a representative numerical case with a minimal spatial resolution [ Zhu and Raeder , ]. Here we show that the scenario persists when the spatial resolution in the y direction is doubled, thus providing evidence for the numerical convergence of our previous results.…”

Section: Plasmoid Formation Induced By Nonlinear Finite Ky Ballooningsupporting

confidence: 83%

“…Namely, our simulation results strongly indicate that the nonlinear ballooning instability can effectively enable the formation of plasmoids in the near‐Earth magnetotail in the higher Lundquist number regime where the 2‐D resistive tearing or axial tail mode is stabilized by the finite B n . Originally reported by Zhu and Raeder [] in a single prototype setting and configuration, such a scenario has been shown to persist in the more general simulations conducted in this work with extended settings such as smooth B z 0 ( x ,0) profile, higher spatial resolutions, and non‐monochromatic initial perturbations, respectively. Our work has demonstrated for the first time that as a macroscopic coherent process, the ideal MHD ballooning instability is capable of inducing the formation of plasmoids in the magnetotail configuration without relying on any microscopic, kinetic, or turbulent processes.…”

Section: Summary and Discussionsupporting

confidence: 57%

“…For those reasons, we adopt a B 0 z ( x ,0) profile with a minimum region along the x axis (Figure ) for the generalized Harris sheet configuration in our work. The same type of B 0 z ( x ,0) profiles were also used to model the near‐Earth magnetotail in many previous studies [ Schindler , ; Pritchett and Büchner , ; Zhu et al , ; Zhu and Raeder , ]. Here B 0 z ( x ,0) is a piecewise linear function of x which assumes a simple analytic form

B_{0 z} (x, 0) = ({, \begin{matrix} ε_{1} \frac{x - x_{1}}{x_{1} - x_{0}} + B_{min} & x_{0} < x < x_{1} \\ B_{min} & x_{1} < x < x_{2} \\ ε_{2} \frac{x - x_{2}}{x_{3} - x_{2}} + B_{min} & x_{2} < x < x_{3} \\ ε_{2} + B_{min} & x > x_{3} \end{matrix}),

where x i ( i =0,1,2,3), ε i ( i =1,2) and B min are parameters that define the profile of B 0 z ( x ,0).…”

Section: Generalized Harris Sheet Model Of Near‐earth Magnetotailmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Ballooning instability‐induced plasmoid formation in near‐Earth plasma sheet

Zhu

Raeder

2014

JGR Space Physics

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[1] The formation of plasmoids in the near-Earth magnetotail is believed to be a key element of the substorm onset process. Previous work has identified a new scenario in MHD simulations where the nonlinear evolution of a ballooning instability is able to induce the formation of plasmoids in a generalized Harris sheet with finite normal magnetic component. In present work, we further examine this novel mechanism for plasmoid formation and explore its implications in the context of substorm onset trigger problem. For that purpose, we adopt the generalized Harris sheet as a model proxy to the near-Earth region of magnetotail during the substorm growth phase. In this region the magnetic component normal to the neutral sheet B n is weak but nonzero. The magnetic field lines are closed, and there are no X lines. Simulation results indicate that in the higher Lundquist number regime S & 10 4 , the linear axial tail mode, which is also known as "two-dimensional resistive tearing mode," is stabilized by the finite B n , hence cannot give rise to the formation of X lines or plasmoids by itself. On the other hand, the linear ballooning mode is unstable in the same region and regime, and its nonlinear development leads to the formation of a series of plasmoid structures in the near-Earth and middle magnetotail regions of plasma sheet. This new scenario of plasmoid formation suggests a critical role of ballooning instability in the near-Earth plasma sheet in triggering the onset of a substorm expansion.

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Section: Plasmoid Formation Induced By Nonlinear Finite Ky Ballooningsupporting

confidence: 83%

Section: Summary and Discussionsupporting

confidence: 57%

B_{0 z} (x, 0) = ({, \begin{matrix} ε_{1} \frac{x - x_{1}}{x_{1} - x_{0}} + B_{min} & x_{0} < x < x_{1} \\ B_{min} & x_{1} < x < x_{2} \\ ε_{2} \frac{x - x_{2}}{x_{3} - x_{2}} + B_{min} & x_{2} < x < x_{3} \\ ε_{2} + B_{min} & x > x_{3} \end{matrix}),

where x i ( i =0,1,2,3), ε i ( i =1,2) and B min are parameters that define the profile of B 0 z ( x ,0).…”

Section: Generalized Harris Sheet Model Of Near‐earth Magnetotailmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Ballooning instability‐induced plasmoid formation in near‐Earth plasma sheet

Zhu

Raeder

2014

JGR Space Physics

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“…Similar phenomenon was observed in natural plasmas, in which nonlinear growth of high mode number ballooning instability in a thin current sheet may lead to the plasmoid formation in the high Lundquist number magnetotail. 23,24 …”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Response of microscale turbulence and transport to the evolution of resistive magnetohydrodynamic magnetic island

Kishimoto

Wang

2014

Physics of Plasmas

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“…Similarly to the magnetic island, the plasmoid presented in this work is identified in the x − z plane as a finite region of closed magnetic flux bounded by a separatrix with a single X-point (Otto et al, 1990;Zhu and Raeder, 2014). It is a two-dimensional projection onto the x − z plane of three-dimensional magnetic field lines in regions of magnetic reconnection.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Quasi-separatrix layers induced by ballooning instability in the near-Earth magnetotail

et al. 2019

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Abstract. Magnetic reconnection processes in the near-Earth magnetotail can be highly three-dimensional (3-D) in geometry and dynamics, even though the magnetotail configuration itself is nearly two-dimensional due to the symmetry in the dusk–dawn direction. Such reconnection processes can be induced by the 3-D dynamics of nonlinear ballooning instability. In this work, we explore the global 3-D geometry of the reconnection process induced by ballooning instability in the near-Earth magnetotail by examining the distribution of quasi-separatrix layers associated with plasmoid formation in the entire 3-D domain of magnetotail configuration, using an algorithm previously developed in the context of solar physics. The 3-D distribution of quasi-separatrix layers (QSLs) as well as their evolution directly follow the plasmoid formation during the nonlinear development of ballooning instability in both time and space. Such a close correlation demonstrates a strong coupling between the ballooning and the corresponding reconnection processes. It further confirms the intrinsic 3-D nature of the ballooning-induced plasmoid formation and reconnection processes, in both geometry and dynamics. In addition, the reconstruction of the 3-D QSL geometry may provide an alternative means of identifying the location and timing of 3-D reconnection sites in the magnetotail from both numerical simulations and satellite observations.

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Plasmoid Formation in Current Sheet with Finite Normal Magnetic Component

Cited by 21 publications

References 25 publications

Ballooning instability‐induced plasmoid formation in near‐Earth plasma sheet

Ballooning instability‐induced plasmoid formation in near‐Earth plasma sheet

Response of microscale turbulence and transport to the evolution of resistive magnetohydrodynamic magnetic island

Quasi-separatrix layers induced by ballooning instability in the near-Earth magnetotail

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