HR: 0830h
AN: SM21B-0197    [PDF]
TI: Interpretation of the Satellite Observations of Current Sheet Bifurcation and Flapping
AU: Lapenta, G
EM: lapenta@lanl.gov
AF: LANL, MS K717, Los Alamos, NM 87545 United States
AU: * Ricci, P
EM: ricci@lanl.gov
AF: INFM and Dipartimento di Energetica, Politecnico di Torino Corso Duca degli Abruzzi 24, Torino, 10129 Italy
AU: Brackbill, J U
EM: brackbill@cybermesa.com
AF: Mathematics and Statistics, University of New Mexico, MSC03 2150, Albuquerque, NM 87131 United States
AB: By performing three-dimensional kinetic simulations of Harris current sheets, we study the structure of plasma sheet in the Earth's magnetotail. The current sheet is strongly altered by kinking before tearing modes develop. Kinking explains the satellite observations of both flapping of the current sheet and current bifurcation, which have been detected by ISEE1/2, Geotail, and Cluster satellites. The simulation results and the satellite observations show a remarkable agreement. Reconnection is then triggered by the kinking of the current sheet. We study how initially localized reconnection propagates in the current aligned direction, and how kinetic effects result in different dynamics from those reported by Huba and Rudakov's using a Hall-MHD model [Phys. Plasmas 9, 4435 (2002)].
DE: 2744 Magnetotail
DE: 2772 Plasma waves and instabilities
DE: 2788 Storms and substorms
DE: 7839 Nonlinear phenomena
DE: 7843 Numerical simulation studies
SC: SPA - Magnetospheric Physics [SM]
MN: 2003 Fall Meeting