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Quick magnetic reconnection triggering in an ion‐scale current sheet: Transition from Type‐I to Type‐II
Author(s) -
Tanaka K. G.,
Shinohara I.,
Fujimoto M.
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1029/2005gl023718
Subject(s) - current sheet , magnetic reconnection , instability , physics , ion , anisotropy , current density , current (fluid) , electron , condensed matter physics , atomic physics , magnetohydrodynamics , plasma , mechanics , thermodynamics , optics , nuclear physics , quantum mechanics
The details of Quick Magnetic Reconnection Triggering (QMRT) in ion‐scale current sheets have been investigated using three‐dimensional (3‐D) full particle simulations with the mass ratio of 400. QMRT is mediated by coupling to the Lower‐Hybrid Drift Instability (LHDI) and its time scale is as quick as the LHDI time scale. Up to the initial half‐thickness D of D/λ i = 0.875 (λ i : the ion inertial length), QMRT is attained via thin current layer formation at the center of the current sheet in reaction to the LHDI activity (Type‐I). At D/λ i = 1, QMRT is still available but is attained by boosting up the tearing instability growth rate via the electron temperature anisotropy T e⊥ /T e∥ ∼ 1.2 (Type‐II). In this case the LHDI activity induces the current density redistribution that does not result in enhanced current density at the center but produces electron perpendicular heating therein.