HR: 17:35h
AN: SH32C-06    [PDF]
TI: Hall magnetohydrodynamics of inhomogeneous current layers
AU: Rudakov, L
EM: rudakovl@wam.umd.edu
AF: Berkeley Scholars, Inc., Backlick Rd, Springfield, VA 20434 United States
AU: * Huba, J D
EM: huba@ppd.nrl.navy.mil
AF: Naval Research Laboratory, Plasma Physics Division, Washington, DC 20375 United States
AB: Analytical and numerical results of the dynamics of inhomogeneous, reversed field current layers in the Hall limit (i.e., characteristic length scales less than or comparable to the ion inertial length) are presented. Specifically, the two and three dimensional evolution of a current layer that supports a reversed field plasma configuration and {\it has a density gradient along the current direction} is studied. We find that a density inhomogeneity along the current direction can dramatically redistribute the magnetic field and plasma via magnetic shock-like or rarefaction waves. The relative direction between the density gradient and current flow plays a critical role in the evolution of the current sheet. One important result is that the current sheet can become very thin rapidly when the density gradient is directed opposite to the current. Our results are applied to laboratory and space plasmas. \\ \noindent Research supported by NASA and ONR.
DE: 7835 Magnetic reconnection
DE: 7843 Numerical simulation studies
SC: SPA - Solar and Heliospheric Physics [SH]
MN: 2003 Fall Meeting