Dynamic Alignment and Plasmoid Formation in Relativistic Magnetohydrodynamic Turbulence

Abstract We present high-resolution 2D and 3D simulations of magnetized decaying turbulence in relativistic, resistive magnetohydrodynamics. The show dynamic formation large-scale intermittent long-lived current sheets being disrupted into plasmoid chains by the tearing instability. These are locations enhanced magnetic-field dissipation heating plasma. find magnetic energy spectra ∝ k −3/2 , together with strongly pronounced alignment Elsässer fields velocity fields, for strong guide-field turbulence, whereas we retrieve −5/3 case a weak guide-field.