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Electron energization in reconnection: Eulerian vs Lagrangian perspectives
Journal article   Open access   Peer reviewed

Electron energization in reconnection: Eulerian vs Lagrangian perspectives

Jason M. TenBarge, James Juno and Gregory G. Howes
Physics of plasmas, Vol.31(2), 022901
02/2024
DOI: 10.1063/5.0184710
url
https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0184710View
Published (Version of record) Open Access

Abstract

Particle energization due to magnetic reconnection is an important unsolved problem for myriad space and astrophysical plasmas. Electron energization in magnetic reconnection has traditionally been examined from a particle, or Lagrangian, perspective using particle-in-cell (PIC) simulations. Guiding-center analyses of ensembles of PIC particles have suggested that Fermi (curvature drift) acceleration and direct acceleration via the reconnection electric field are the primary electron energization mechanisms. However, both PIC guiding-center ensemble analyses and spacecraft observations are performed in an Eulerian perspective. For this work, we employ the continuum Vlasov–Maxwell solver within the Gkeyll simulation framework to reexamine electron energization from a kinetic continuum, Eulerian, perspective. We separately examine the contribution of each drift energization component to determine the dominant electron energization mechanisms in a moderate guide-field Gkeyll reconnection simulation. In the Eulerian perspective, we find that the diamagnetic and agyrotropic drifts are the primary electron energization mechanisms away from the reconnection x-point, where direct acceleration dominates. We compare the Eulerian (Vlasov Gkeyll) results with the wisdom gained from Lagrangian (PIC) analyses.

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