Structure of Thin Current Layers: Implications for Magnetic Reconnection

Current layers of transverse scale length smaller than the ion skin depth destabilize whistlers. A set of 3D electromagnetic fluid equations describing the nonlinear development of the layer is derived. In simulations based on these equations, the current layer evolves to a strongly turbulent state consisting of filamentary, finite-length streams of electrons. The associated anomalous transport of current is calculated and implications for understanding magnetic reconnection are discussed.