Research Paper: Investigation of Formation and Growth Dynamics of Magnetic Islands in Solar Plasma by Particle-in-cell Simulation

Abstract

Using a two-dimensional particle-in-cell simulation of collision-less plasmoid instability, dynamics of formation and growth of magnetic islands are investigated. In the extended nonlinear magnetic reconnection process, the electric current layer undergoes a nonlinear deformation. This perturbation shows itself in the form of a cut in the electrical current layer, which is called a point. This phenomenon creates magnetic islands or plasmoids on either side of the point. Plasmoids are structures with a high mass density that are formed from the output flow of the plasma. In this study, different properties of plasmoid instability such as temperature, electric field vector, and stages of formation and growth are investigated by particle-in-cell simulation. The effect of a constant perpendicular magnetic field (guide field) on the apparent deformation of the electric current sheet and the coalescence rate of the plasmoid is investigated. The presence of a constant guide field reduces the number of magnetic reconnections and also reduces the process rate of plasmoid coalescence. The ratio between the conduction field and the initial magnetic field determines the number of magnetic reconnections. So that reduces the number of points to three and increases guide field up to prevent the formation of plasmoid instability and keeps the system in the magnetic reconnection state.

Keywords

• magnetic reconnection
• plasmoid instability
• particle in cell simulation