Nonlinear evolution of magnetic islands in the magnetopause current sheet

Nonlinear evolution of magnetic islands produced by time-dependent magnetic reconnection in the magnetopause current sheet is studied. It is shown that the magnetic islands are unstable against the interference from external disturbances. Their structure can be destroyed by medium and small-scale solar wind turbulences, leading to stochastic magnetic reconnection and the formation of irregular small-scale structures in magnetospheric boundary regions.EI0434-40