Ambipolar diffusion-driven tearing instability in a steepening background magnetic field
Journal
Astrophysical Journal
Journal Volume
494
Journal Issue
1 PART I
Pages
90-95
Date Issued
1998
Author(s)
Abstract
Tearing instability is shown to be greatly enhanced by ambipolar diffusion near the locations where two-dimensional magnetic fields reverse signs. The growth time is found to be on the order of the ambipolar diffusion timescale, independent of electrical resistivity. Consistent with the earlier works, the enhancement in the reconnection of field lines indeed arises from the development of a singular current perturbation. Such magnetic reconnection is driven by the steepening effect of ambipolar diffusion on the magnetic fields near the field-reversal lines. Although the background magnetic fields are evolving on a similar timescale as the perturbations, we show that magnetic reconnection proceeds substantially faster than the steepening of the background fields.
SDGs
Type
journal article