On the tearing instability of highly elongated current sheets

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates how the main results of the complex tearing instability theory can be reproduced through a simple qualitative analysis of MHD equations, making the concepts more accessible.

Contribution

It introduces a straightforward qualitative approach to understanding the tearing instability in highly elongated current sheets, simplifying the complex mathematical theories.

Findings

Main results reproduced by qualitative analysis

Simplified understanding of tearing instability

Accessible approach to complex MHD theories

Abstract

Rigorous theories of the tearing instability are mathematically quite involving. Therefore, the present note aims to demonstrate how their main results can be reproduced by a simple qualitative analysis of the respective magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) equations.