Simulation of Kelvin-Helmholtz instability in resistive plasmas

Abstract

In this paper, the effects of magnetic reconnection induced by the Kelvin-Helmholtz (KH) instability are examined in resistive plasmas. It is found from the magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) simulations that highly distorted magnetic field lines deformed from the initial parallel configuration by the KH instability become reconnected and flattened when the magnetic field intensity is not strong. Energy conversion and the momentum transport are most effective in the small range of magnetic field intensity. A strong magnetic field stabilizes vortex growing early on and a weak magnetic field does not grow much before it diffuses, while the electromagnetic stress plays an important role in transferring momentum and energy across the velocity shear boundary.