Effects of compressibility and guiding field on the Kelvin-Helmholtz instability in weakly reversed magnetic shear configurations

The effects of compressibility and guiding field on the Kelvin-Helmholtz (KH) instability in a double resonant surface system are numerically investigated by using a compressible magnetohydrodynamics model. The linear growth rate and the nonlinear saturation amplitude are analyzed for different parameters. A transition from double tearing modes to the KH instability occurs depending on the compressibility and guiding field with a weak magnetic shear. These results may deepen our understanding of the properties of the KH instability with double resonant surfaces in both space and laboratory plasmas. (C) 2022 Author(s).

Automated summary

The effects of compressibility and guiding field on the Kelvin-Helmholtz instability in a double resonant surface system are numerically investigated. The study reveals a transition from double tearing modes to the Kelvin-Helmholtz instability depending on compressibility and guiding field with weak magnetic shear. These findings contribute to a better understanding of the properties of the Kelvin-Helmholtz instability in both space and laboratory plasmas.