Journal article
The competition of electron and ion heating during magnetic reconnection
Geophysical research letters, Vol.42(22), pp.9657-9665
11/28/2015
DOI: 10.1002/2015GL065961
Abstract
The physical processes that control the partition of released magnetic energy between electrons and ions during reconnection is explored through particle-in-cell simulations and analytical techniques. We demonstrate that the development of a large-scale parallel electric field and its associated potential controls the relative heating of electrons and ions. The potential develops to restrain heated exhaust electrons and enhances their heating by confining electrons in the region where magnetic energy is released. Simultaneously, the potential slows ions entering the exhaust below the Alfvenic speed expected from the traditional counterstreaming picture of ion heating. Unexpectedly, the magnitude of the potential and therefore the relative partition of energy between electrons and ions is not a constant but rather depends on the upstream parameters and specifically the upstream electron normalized temperature (electron beta). These findings suggest that the fraction of magnetic energy converted into the total thermal energy may be independent of upstream parameters.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- The competition of electron and ion heating during magnetic reconnection
- Creators
- C. C. Haggerty - University of DelawareM. A. Shay - University of DelawareJ. F. Drake - University of Maryland, College ParkT. D. Phan - University of California, BerkeleyC. T. McHugh - University of Delaware
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Geophysical research letters, Vol.42(22), pp.9657-9665
- DOI
- 10.1002/2015GL065961
- ISSN
- 0094-8276
- eISSN
- 1944-8007
- Publisher
- Amer Geophysical Union
- Number of pages
- 9
- Grant note
- 1219369; 1219382 / Directorate For Geosciences; Div Atmospheric & Geospace Sciences; National Science Foundation (NSF); NSF - Directorate for Geosciences (GEO) AGS-1219382; AGS-1202330 / NSF; National Science Foundation (NSF) NASA Space grant program at the University of Delaware NNX13AD72G; 475705 / NASA; National Aeronautics & Space Administration (NASA) NNX08A083G-MMS IDS; NNX14AC78G; NNX13AD72G; NNX15AW58G / NASA; National Aeronautics & Space Administration (NASA) International Space Science Institute in Bern, Switzerland
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 11/28/2015
- Academic Unit
- Physics and Astronomy
- Record Identifier
- 9985224414102771
Metrics
1 Record Views