Numerical bifurcation study of a nonlinear current sheet model

Results are presented of a numerical investigation of the strongly nonlinear bifurcation properties of an isothermal current sheet model which has previously been investigated in the weakly nonlinear regime by analytical methods. With the method used, the linear stability of the bifurcating branch is also checked. The results have applications in the stability of plasma systems with current sheets, e.g., the Earth’s magnetotail or solar coronal arcades.