Particle orbits during the development of plasmoids

Journal Article · Sat Oct 31 23:00:00 EST 1987 · Journal of Geophysical Research; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/JA092iA11p12181· OSTI ID:5962041

Single-particle orbits are numerically followed in a time-dependent electric and magnetic field obtained from a two-dimensional magnetohydrodynamic simulation of bursty reconnection (Scholer and Roth, 1987). During the reconnection simulation the reconnection rate at the original X point decreases, a long current sheet develops, and reconnection sets in again at a new pair of X points. This leads to the development of a plasmoid. Particles injected with parameters appropriate for the plasma sheet at the time of the secondary tearing close to the new X points drift large distances parallel to the X line and gain high energies (up to {approximately} 300 keV). These particles are subsequently trapped on closed field lines in the developing plasmoid. Since the X line has a limited extent, the acceleration mechanism leads to large dawn-dusk asymmetries. The resulting distribution function within the plasmoid at various cross-tail distances is computed. The distribution function is close to an exponential in velocity with a higher-energy cutoff; with increasing distance toward the duskside the 3-folding velocity increases, and the high-energy cutoff shifts to larger energies.

• OSTI ID: 5962041
• Journal Information: Journal of Geophysical Research; (United States), Journal Name: Journal of Geophysical Research; (United States) Vol. 92:A11; ISSN 0148-0227; ISSN JGREA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

661320* -- Auroral
Ionospheric
& Magnetospheric Phenomena-- (1992-)
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
ASYMMETRY
CHARGED PARTICLES
COMPUTERIZED SIMULATION
DISTRIBUTION FUNCTIONS
EARTH ATMOSPHERE
EARTH MAGNETOSPHERE
FUNCTIONS
MAGNETIC RECONNECTION
MAGNETOTAIL
NUMERICAL SOLUTION
ORBITS
PLASMA DRIFT
PLASMA SHEET
PLASMOIDS
SIMULATION
TIME DEPENDENCE