Dynamics of cosmic current layers with localized lower-hybrid-drift turbulence

Abstract

A two-dimensional magnetohydrodynamic model of the dynamics of tail-like current layers caused by anomalous electrical resistivity in a plasma with lower-hybrid-drift (LHD) turbulence is considered. Additionally to the LHD-resistivity, a resistivity pulse in the magnetic neutral sheet is given initiating a magnetic reconnection process. Then the temporal and spatial evolution of the magnetic and electric fields, the plasma convection and the anomalous resistivity are obtained numerically. Taking into account more exact expressions for the LHD-resistivity in the current layer as done in former works, the LHD-turbulence is found to be excited farther from the neutral sheet, and thus, with the time, secondary current sheets are obtained in the plasma-magnetic field system. It is shown that the inductive electric field moving from the magnetic neutral sheet to the current layer periphery during the reconnection process may be considered as indicator of the plasma disturbances.