Gestaltbildung durch Instabilität

The terms growth and evolution can as well be applied to unstable physical systems. The ability of instabilities to create visible shape is being investigated. There are innumerable examples of that in the universe. One class occurring in cosmical plasmas results from the localized dissipation of energy stored in strongly sheared magnetic fields. It leads to the appearance of dynamic luminous structures, as for instance in solar flares and in the northern lights.