Onset of Plasmoid Reconnection during Magnetorotational Instability

The evolution of current sheets in accretion flows undergoing magnetorotational instability (MRI) is examined through two- and three-dimensional numerical modeling of the resistive MHD equations in global cylindrical geometry. With an initial uniform magnetic field aligned in the vertical (z) direction, MRI produces radially extended toroidal (azimuthal) current sheets. In both 2D and 3D when axisymmetric modes dominate, these current sheets attract each other and merge in the poloidal (rz) plane, driving magnetic reconnection when the Lundquist number S > 3 x 10(2), making it a possible source of plasmoids (closed magnetic loops) in accretion disks. At high Lundquist numbers in the 2D regime, starting at S = 5 x 10(3), self-consistent MRI-generated current sheets become thin and subject to plasmoid instability, and therefore spontaneous magnetic reconnection. When nonaxisymmetric 3D modes dominate, turbulence makes the azimuthal current sheets more unstable and stretch vertically. Toroidally extended vertical current sheets in the inner region, as well as larger 3D magnetic islands in the outer regions of the disks are also formed. These findings have strong ramifications for astrophysical disks as potential sources of plasmoids that could cause local heating, particle acceleration, and high energy EM radiation.

Automated summary

This study examines the evolution of current sheets in accretion flows undergoing magnetorotational instability through numerical modeling in global cylindrical geometry. It is found that in both 2D and 3D, current sheets attract each other and merge when axisymmetric modes dominate, driving magnetic reconnection, whereas at high Lundquist numbers the current sheets become thin and subject to plasmoid instability. When nonaxisymmetric 3D modes dominate, turbulence makes the current sheets more unstable and stretch vertically.