Journal article
Electron jet of asymmetric reconnection
Geophysical Research Letters, Vol.43(11), pp.5571-5580
2016
DOI: 10.1002/2016GL069064
Abstract
We present Magnetospheric Multiscale observations of an electron-scale current sheet and electron outflow jet for asymmetric reconnection with guide field at the subsolar magnetopause. The electron jet observed within the reconnection region has an electron Mach number of 0.35 and is associated with electron agyrotropy. The jet is unstable to an electrostatic instability which generates intense waves with E-vertical bar amplitudes reaching up to 300mVm(-1) and potentials up to 20% of the electron thermal energy. We see evidence of interaction between the waves and the electron beam, leading to quick thermalization of the beam and stabilization of the instability. The wave phase speed is comparable to the ion thermal speed, suggesting that the instability is of Buneman type, and therefore introduces electron-ion drag and leads to braking of the electron flow. Our observations demonstrate that electrostatic turbulence plays an important role in the electron-scale physics of asymmetric reconnection.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Electron jet of asymmetric reconnection
- Creators
- Yu. V Khotyaintsev - Swedish Institute of Space PhysicsD. B Graham - Swedish Institute of Space PhysicsC Norgren - Swedish Institute of Space PhysicsE ErikssonW. Li - Swedish Institute of Space PhysicsA. Johlander - Swedish Institute of Space PhysicsA. Vaivads - Swedish Institute of Space PhysicsM Andre - Uppsala UniversityA Retinò - University of Paris-SudP. -A Lindqvist - Rymd- och plasmafysikG. T Marklund - KTH Royal Institute of TechnologyC. A Kletzing - University of Iowa, Physics and AstronomyJ. L Burch - Southwest Research Institute
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Geophysical Research Letters, Vol.43(11), pp.5571-5580
- DOI
- 10.1002/2016GL069064
- ISSN
- 1944-8007
- eISSN
- 1944-8007
- Grant note
- DOI: 10.13039/501100001859, name: Swedish National Space Board, award: 139/12, 175/15
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 2016
- Academic Unit
- Physics and Astronomy
- Record Identifier
- 9984200032502771
Metrics
6 Record Views