Guide Field Reconnection: Exhaust Structure and Heating

J. P. Eastwood; R. Mistry; T. D. Phan; S. J. Schwartz; R. E. Ergun; J. F. Drake; M. Øieroset; J. E. Stawarz; M. V. Goldman; C. Haggerty; M. A. Shay; J. L. Burch; D. J. Gershman; B. L. Giles; P. A. Lindqvist; R. B. Torbert; R. J. Strangeway; C. T. Russell

doi:10.1029/2018GL077670

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Guide Field Reconnection: Exhaust Structure and Heating

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Guide Field Reconnection: Exhaust Structure and Heating

J. P. Eastwood, R. Mistry, T. D. Phan, S. J. Schwartz, R. E. Ergun, J. F. Drake, M. Øieroset, J. E. Stawarz, M. V. Goldman, C. Haggerty, …

Geophysical research letters, Vol.45(10), pp.4569-4577

05/28/2018

DOI: 10.1029/2018GL077670

PMID: 31031447

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Abstract

Magnetospheric Multiscale observations are used to probe the structure and temperature profile of a guide field reconnection exhaust 100 ion inertial lengths downstream from the X‐line in the Earth's magnetosheath. Asymmetric Hall electric and magnetic field signatures were detected, together with a density cavity confined near 1 edge of the exhaust and containing electron flow toward the X‐line. Electron holes were also detected both on the cavity edge and at the Hall magnetic field reversal. Predominantly parallel ion and electron heating was observed in the main exhaust, but within the cavity, electron cooling and enhanced parallel ion heating were found. This is explained in terms of the parallel electric field, which inhibits electron mixing within the cavity on newly reconnected field lines but accelerates ions. Consequently, guide field reconnection causes inhomogeneous changes in ion and electron temperature across the exhaust. A guide field reconnection exhaust was encountered by MMS in the magnetosheath 100 ion inertial lengths downstream from the X‐lineA density cavity forms on one edge of the exhaust with embedded electron jetting toward the X‐line and electron holes on the cavity edgeThe parallel electric field causes electron cooling and ion heating in the cavity and inhomogeneous temperature profiles across the exhaust

Space Sciences

Interplanetary Magnetic Fields

Interplanetary Physics

Magnetic Reconnection

Magnetopause and Boundary Layers

Magnetospheric Physics

Research Letter

Research Letters

Solar Physics, Astrophysics, and Astronomy

Solar Wind Plasma

Space Plasma Physics

Transport Processes

Details

Title: Subtitle: Guide Field Reconnection: Exhaust Structure and Heating
Creators: J. P. Eastwood - Imperial College London
R. Mistry - Imperial College London
T. D. Phan - University of California, Berkeley
S. J. Schwartz - Joint Institute for Laboratory Astrophysics
R. E. Ergun - Joint Institute for Laboratory Astrophysics
J. F. Drake - University of Maryland, College Park
M. Øieroset - University of California, Berkeley
J. E. Stawarz - Imperial College London
M. V. Goldman - University of Colorado Boulder
C. Haggerty - University of Illinois Chicago
M. A. Shay - University of Delaware
J. L. Burch - Southwest Research Institute
D. J. Gershman - Goddard Space Flight Center
B. L. Giles - Goddard Space Flight Center
P. A. Lindqvist - KTH Royal Institute of Technology
R. B. Torbert - University of New Hampshire
R. J. Strangeway - University of California, Los Angeles
C. T. Russell - University of California, Los Angeles
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: Geophysical research letters, Vol.45(10), pp.4569-4577
DOI: 10.1029/2018GL077670
PMID: 31031447
NLM abbreviation: Geophys Res Lett
ISSN: 0094-8276
eISSN: 1944-8007
Publisher: John Wiley and Sons Inc
Number of pages: 9
Grant note: International Space Science Institute, Bern, Switzerland ST/N000692/1 / RCUK | Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) 80NSSC18K0157 / National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
Alternative title: Eastwood et al
Language: English
Date published: 05/28/2018
Academic Unit: Physics and Astronomy
Record Identifier: 9985224415402771

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