Interplay of Magnetic Reconnection and Current Sheet Kink Instability in the Earth's Magnetotail

Abstract Magnetic reconnection and current sheet kink instability often develop concurrently in current sheets, yet their dynamic interplay remains unclear. We investigate their interaction in the magnetotail of a 3D global magnetospheric hybrid‐Vlasov simulation. We identify the instability growth and saturation phase and estimate the evolution of the reconnection rate during the same interval. Our findings indicate that the reconnection rate decreases during the instability growth phase, especially at locations where the current sheet undergoes significant perturbations. These results highlight the intricate three‐dimensional relationship between reconnection and kink instabilities, suggesting that the kink instability plays a significant role in modulating the reconnection rate.