[Table of Contents]

Plasma and Fusion Research

Volume 5, S2056 (2010)

Regular Articles

Investigation of Trigger Mechanism in the Explosive Nonlinear Growth of the Double Tearing Mode
Miho JANVIER, Yasuaki KISHIMOTO and Jiquan LI
Graduate School of Energy Science, Kyoto University, Gokasho, Uji 611-0011, Japan
(Received 7 December 2009 / Accepted 15 April 2010 / Published 10 December 2010)

Abstract

Magnetic reconnection dynamics due to the nonlinearly destabilized double tearing mode (DTM) is simulated, focusing on the nonlinear growth phase in the framework of reduced resistive magnetohydrodynamics (MHD). The nonlinearly explosive growth of the DTM accompanying fast magnetic reconnection is found to result from a secondary instability, the mechanism of which consists of the sequential unstable modulation due to two- dimensional distortion of magnetic islands and modification of the nonlinear current profile. The trigger dynamics of the nonlinear growth phase is illustrated via the investigation of the evolution of both the kinetic and magnetic energies of the secondary instability.

Keywords

magnetic reconnection, double tearing mode, abrupt growth, modulational instability, current corrugation

DOI: 10.1585/pfr.5.S2056

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This paper may be cited as follows:

Miho JANVIER, Yasuaki KISHIMOTO and Jiquan LI, Plasma Fusion Res. 5, S2056 (2010).