Saturation of the tearing mode

A quasi-linear analytical model is used to describe the nonlinear growth and saturation of tearing modes with mode number m⩾2. The saturation of the magnetic island growth is the quasi-linear development of a single mode rather than a mode coupling process. The saturation amplitude, which is dependent on the form of the resistivity, is in good agreement with results obtained previously by numerically advancing the full set of nonlinear equations.