Thin current sheet embedded within a thicker plasma sheet: Self‐consistent kinetic theory

Sitnov, M. I.; Zelenyǐ, L. M.; Malova, H. V.; Sharma, A. S.

doi:10.1029/1999ja000431

Cited by 139 publications

(173 citation statements)

References 54 publications

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“…Matsui and Daughton [2008] have recently demonstrated that electron pressure anisotropy may have a significant influence on tearing of bifurcated current sheets, however with B z = 0. The impact of ion anisotropy and agyrotropy may be even stronger, because ions often determine the multiscale structure of the current sheet, making it either embedded into a thicker plasma sheet [Sitnov et al, 2000[Sitnov et al, , 2003Schindler and Birn, 2002] or bifurcated [Sitnov et al, 2003;Birn et al, 2004]. Zelenyi et al [2008] found tearing destabilization for a family of 1D embedded current sheet models, the so-called forced current sheets, where the magnetic field line tension is balanced by the ion inertia rather than by the pressure gradient.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Tearing stability of a multiscale magnetotail current sheet

Sitnov

Schindler

2010

Geophysical Research Letters

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152

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The sufficient stability criterion of the collisionless ion tearing mode in the magnetotail current sheet, which was first obtained by Lembege and Pellat in 1982, is considered. For many conventional 2D current sheet equilibria, this criterion is satisfied within the WKB approximation, which is commonly interpreted as stability of those equilibria with respect to tearing. However, this is not necessarily the case for equilibria with more than two characteristic spatial scales. An example for substantial tearing destabilization of an equilibrium with accumulation of the magnetic flux at the tailward end of a thin current sheet is presented. Similar equilibria are reported in Geotail and THEMIS observations prior to onsets of magnetospheric substorms and dipolarization fronts associated with bursty bulk flows.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Tearing stability of a multiscale magnetotail current sheet

Sitnov

Schindler

2010

Geophysical Research Letters

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152

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“…Sitnov et al, 2000) or more complicated distributions with double off-center peaks, i.e. bifurcated current sheets (see, e.g.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Properties of a bifurcated current sheet observed on 29 August 2001

et al. 2004

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Abstract. Ion density, velocity and temperature, measured by Cluster spacecraft in the plasma sheet during an isolated substorm at 10:20-11:15 UT, 29 August 2001 are discussed. The Custer/CODIF data for subinterval 10:55-11:03 UT, during which a bifurcation of the current sheet was detected, are studied in particular. It is shown that ion density and temperature have a plateau-like profile in the central part of the bifurcated current sheet. An enhanced proton flow directed in positive Y GSM was detected during the selected subinterval. Other components of proton bulk velocity are found to be negligibly small, i.e. the structure is likely not directly associated with magnetic reconnection. Alternative models, including ion anisotropy and localized magnetic turbulence, which result in a two-peak profile of the current density, are discussed briefly.

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“…Syrovatskii, 1971;Parker, 1979) that slow, quasi-static evolution of magCorrespondence to: A. P. Kropotkin (apkrop@dec1.sinp.msu.ru) netized space plasma objects often leads to the formation of CS of relatively small thickness. Later development of the configuration is believed to involve transformation of stored magnetic energy into energy of plasma flows, and dissipation.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Forced current sheet structure, formation and evolution: application to magnetic reconnection in the magnetosphere

Domrin

Kropotkin

2004

Ann. Geophys.

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Part of Special Issue "Spatio-temporal analysis and multipoint measurements in space"Abstract. By means of a simulation model, the earlier predicted nonlinear kinetic structure, a Forced Kinetic Current Sheet (FKCS), with extremely anisotropic ion distributions, is shown to appear as a result of a fast nonlinear process of transition from a previously existing equilibrium. This occurs under triggering action of a weak MHD disturbance that is applied at the boundary of the simulation box. In the FKCS, current is carried by initially cold ions which are brought into the CS by convection from both sides, and accelerated inside the CS. The process then appears to be spontaneously self-sustained, as a MHD disturbance of a rarefaction wave type propagates over the background plasma outside the CS. Comparable to the Alfvénic discontinuity in MHD, transformation of electromagnetic energy into the energy of plasma flows occurs at the FKCS. But unlike the MHD case, "free" energy is produced here: dissipation should occur later, through particle interaction with turbulent waves generated by unstable ion distribution being formed by the FKCS action. In this way, an effect of magnetic field "annihilation" appears, required for fast magnetic reconnection. Application of the theory to observations at the magnetopause and in the magnetotail is considered.

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Thin current sheet embedded within a thicker plasma sheet: Self‐consistent kinetic theory

Cited by 139 publications

References 54 publications

Tearing stability of a multiscale magnetotail current sheet

Tearing stability of a multiscale magnetotail current sheet

Properties of a bifurcated current sheet observed on 29 August 2001

Forced current sheet structure, formation and evolution: application to magnetic reconnection in the magnetosphere

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