Abstract
So-called plasmoids are most fundamental signatures of geomagnetic substorms, and precise measurements of magnetic fields have been obtained by in situ satellite observations. Hence, in understanding substorm phenomena, it is essential to clarify the physical mechanism of plasmoid dynamics. The present paper studies on the basis of the spontaneous fast reconnection model how a large-scale plasmoid is generated and propagates in weakly sheared current sheets. It is demonstrated that the basic structure and dynamics of the plasmoid, generated by the fast reconnection, are both qualitatively and quantitatively in good agreement with actual satellite observations. In particular, magnetic field lines inside the generated plasmoid deviate from a helical geometry.
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