Nonlinear interactions of tearing modes in the vicinity of a bifurcation point of codimension two (Q1117785)

The interaction of two different tearing modes in slab geometry is examined. For certain physical parameter values the linearized problem has a four-dimensional nullspace corresponding to two different marginal tearing modes. With the center manifold theory the original partial differential equations could be reduced to a four-dimensional system of ordinary ones. These amplitude equations are equivariant under O(2)- actions due to the symmetries of the physical problem. Because of these symmetries there exist many interesting spatial- and spatio-temporal solutions in the neighbourhood of the critical parameters such as standing, travelling and modulated waves and a structural stable heteroclinic orbit.