Faculty Mentor(s)
Dr. Zachary Williams, Physics
Document Type
Poster
Event Date
4-17-2026
Abstract
Recent work demonstrates that specific aspects of nonlinear magnetic reconnection in a collisionless regime are directly attributable to linearly damped eigenmodes. In this work, we apply similar eigenmode analysis tools to characterize nonlinear magnetic reconnection driven by resistivity. In contrast to the collisionless case which contains a single unstable/stable eigenmode pair, the resistive case contains an unstable eigenmode and a wide spectrum of stable modes. Calculating eigenmode amplitudes allows for a determination of the significance of each eigenmode in the nonlinearly-evolved resistive reconnection. Linearly stable modes are found to be important in determining properties of nonlinear systems. We discuss how energy is transferred between magnetic, kinetic, and resistive channels. This analysis is conducted locally in wavenumber space, suggestive of significant energy transfer at large scales in contrast to energy transferred via a cascade.
Recommended Citation
Repository citation: Evans, Isaac Q., "Eigenmode Decomposition Analysis of Resistive Magnetic Reconnection" (2026). 25th Annual A. Paul and Carol C. Schaap Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (2026). Paper 11.
https://digitalcommons.hope.edu/curca_25/11
April 17, 2026. Copyright © 2026 Hope College, Holland, Michigan.
Comments
This work was supported by the Prof Bryant P. Hichwa Undergraduate Physics Summer Research Fund.