Investigating the Lower Hybrid Drift Instability in Reconnecting Current Sheets Using a Hybrid Kinetic Model (ssV Code)

Abstract: We investigate the nonlinear evolution of the lower hybrid drift instability (LHDI) in reconnecting current sheets using a hybrid kinetic simulation model implemented in the Super Simple Vlasov (ssV) code. The model treats ions kinetically and electrons with a drift-kinetic approximation, solving self-consistent coupled electrostatic and electromagnetic fields. A parametric study explores the effects of mass ratio, temperature ratio, plasma beta, and sheet thickness. In electrostatic cases, LHDI remains localized at the sheet edges, flattening density gradients. In electromagnetic regimes, turbulence induced by LHDI generates magnetic perturbations that kink the current sheet and enhance anomalous resistivity. These dynamics may facilitate fast magnetic reconnection under certain conditions. Our results bridge prior theoretical predictions and simulations, emphasizing the importance of kinetic instabilities in reconnection physics.