ISSN:
1089-7674
Source:
AIP Digital Archive
Topics:
Physics
Notes:
In this paper, a new type of shock associated with magnetic reconnection processes has been explored using a compressible magnetohydrodynamics simulation method. The simulations have shown that, when there are strong field-aligned shear flows at the two sides of a current sheet, the coupling mode between Kelvin–Helmholtz and resistive instabilities will appear; further, reflected shocks and incident shocks can be produced at both sides of the boundary layer. Both the reflected shocks and incident shocks are fast shocks, through which the magnetic field strength, density, and temperature all increase sharply, while the plasma velocity decreases steeply. It is expected that some inhomogeneous structures can be formed at plasma boundary layer regions due to the existence of fast field-aligned shear flow driven shocks. © 2000 American Institute of Physics.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.874133
