Energy Conversion by Parallel Electric Fields During Guide Field Reconnection in Scaled Laboratory and Space Experiments

Fox, W.; Wilder, F. D.; Eriksson, S.; Jara‐Almonte, J.; Pucci, F.; Yoo, J.; Ji, H.; Yamada, M.; Ergun, R. E.; Oieroset, M.; Phan, T. D.

doi:10.1029/2018GL079883

Energy Conversion by Parallel Electric Fields During Guide Field Reconnection in Scaled Laboratory and Space Experiments

Journal Article · Thu Nov 15 00:00:00 EST 2018 · Geophysical Research Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/2018GL079883· OSTI ID:1489242

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Princeton Plasma Physics Lab. (PPPL), Princeton, NJ (United States); Princeton Univ., Princeton, NJ (United States)
Univ. of Colorado, Boulder, CO (United States)
Princeton Plasma Physics Lab. (PPPL), Princeton, NJ (United States)
Princeton Plasma Physics Lab. (PPPL), Princeton, NJ (United States); National Institute of Natural Sciences, Toki (Japan)
Univ. of California, Berkeley, CA (United States)

Here, we present direct and scaled comparisons between laboratory and in situ space observations of magnetic reconnection with a guide field, comparing results from the Magnetospheric Multiscale Mission and the Magnetic Reconnection eXperiment (MRX). While Magnetospheric Multiscale Mission observations obtain high–resolution and fully kinetic data, MRX observations fully cover the 2–D reconnection plane near the current sheet, removing uncertainties in situating the measurements compared to the reconnection region. Through scaling transformations, we show a quantitative agreement in magnetic field and current density profiles, which agree within a factor of 2 from each other. The introduction of the guide field causes the energy conversion J·E in the current sheet to be dominated by J_||E_|| in both cases. However, parallel electric fields reported by recent spacecraft crossings are significantly (5–10 times) larger than values obtained on MRX, highlighting an important issue for understanding energy conversion by reconnection.

View Accepted Manuscript (DOE)

Research Organization:: Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL), Princeton, NJ (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE

OSTI ID:: 1489242

Alternate ID(s):: OSTI ID: 1484954

Journal Information:: Geophysical Research Letters, Journal Name: Geophysical Research Letters Journal Issue: 23 Vol. 45; ISSN 0094-8276

Publisher:: American Geophysical UnionCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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