Statistical description of coalescing magnetic islands via magnetic reconnection

• Published in: Journal of plasma physics Vol. 87; no. 6
• Main Authors: Zhou, Muni, Wu, David H., Loureiro, Nuno F., Uzdensky, Dmitri A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge, UK Cambridge University Press 01.12.2021
• Subjects: Accretion disks; Coalescence; Coalescing; Cosmic rays; Distribution functions; Earth magnetosphere; Energy spectra; Evolution; Fluid flow; Heliosphere; Islands; Kinetic equations; Magnetic fields; Magnetic islands; Magnetic properties; Magnetohydrodynamic turbulence; Magnetohydrodynamics; Normal distribution; Physics; Plasma dynamics; Plasma physics; Self-similarity; Simulation; Solar corona; Turbulent flow; astrophysical plasmas; plasma nonlinear phenomena; space plasma physics

The physical picture of interacting magnetic islands provides a useful paradigm for certain plasma dynamics in a variety of physical environments, such as the solar corona, the heliosheath and the Earth's magnetosphere. In this work, we derive an island kinetic equation to describe the evolutio...