Statistical properties of magnetic structures and energy dissipation during turbulent reconnection in the Earth's magnetotail

Bergstedt, K; Ji, H; Jara-Almonte, J; Yoo, J; Ergun, R E; Chen, L -J

doi:10.11578/1814936

Title: Statistical properties of magnetic structures and energy dissipation during turbulent reconnection in the Earth's magnetotail

Abstract

We present the first statistical study of magnetic structures and associated energy dissipation observed during a single period of turbulent magnetic reconnection, by using the in situ measurements of the Magnetospheric Multiscale mission in the Earth's magnetotail on 26 July 2017. The structures are selected by identifying a bipolar signature in the magnetic field and categorized as plasmoids or current sheets via an automated algorithm which examines current density and plasma flow. The size of the plasmoids forms a decaying exponential distribution ranging from subelectron up to ion scales. The presence of substantial number of current sheets is consistent with a physical picture of dynamic production and merging of plasmoids during turbulent reconnection. The magnetic structures are locations of significant energy dissipation via electric field parallel to the local magnetic field, while dissipation via perpendicular electric field dominates outside of the structures. Significant energy also returns from particles to fields.

Authors:: Bergstedt, K; Ji, H; Jara-Almonte, J; Yoo, J; Ergun, R E; Chen, L -J

Publication Date:: Wed Oct 21 00:00:00 EDT 2020

DOE Contract Number:: AC02-09CH11466

Research Org.:: Princeton Plasma Physics Lab. (PPPL), Princeton, NJ (United States)

Sponsoring Org.:: USDOE Office of Science (SC)

Keywords:: Magnetotail; plasmoids; reconnection; turbulence

OSTI Identifier:: 1814936

DOI:: https://doi.org/10.11578/1814936

Citation Formats


                    Bergstedt, K, Ji, H, Jara-Almonte, J, Yoo, J, Ergun, R E, and Chen, L -J. Statistical properties of magnetic structures and energy dissipation during turbulent reconnection in the Earth's magnetotail.  United States: N. p., 2020. 
        Web.  doi:10.11578/1814936.

Copy to clipboard


                    Bergstedt, K, Ji, H, Jara-Almonte, J, Yoo, J, Ergun, R E, & Chen, L -J. Statistical properties of magnetic structures and energy dissipation during turbulent reconnection in the Earth's magnetotail.  United States.  doi:https://doi.org/10.11578/1814936

Copy to clipboard


                    Bergstedt, K, Ji, H, Jara-Almonte, J, Yoo, J, Ergun, R E, and Chen, L -J. 2020.  
"Statistical properties of magnetic structures and energy dissipation during turbulent reconnection in the Earth's magnetotail".  United States.  doi:https://doi.org/10.11578/1814936.  https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1814936. Pub date:Wed Oct 21 00:00:00 EDT 2020

Copy to clipboard


                    
@article{osti_1814936,

  title        = {Statistical properties of magnetic structures and energy dissipation during turbulent reconnection in the Earth's magnetotail},

  author       = {Bergstedt, K and Ji, H and Jara-Almonte, J and Yoo, J and Ergun, R E and Chen, L -J},

  abstractNote = {We present the first statistical study of magnetic structures and associated energy dissipation observed during a single period of turbulent magnetic reconnection, by using the in situ measurements of the Magnetospheric Multiscale mission in the Earth's magnetotail on 26 July 2017. The structures are selected by identifying a bipolar signature in the magnetic field and categorized as plasmoids or current sheets via an automated algorithm which examines current density and plasma flow. The size of the plasmoids forms a decaying exponential distribution ranging from subelectron up to ion scales. The presence of substantial number of current sheets is consistent with a physical picture of dynamic production and merging of plasmoids during turbulent reconnection. The magnetic structures are locations of significant energy dissipation via electric field parallel to the local magnetic field, while dissipation via perpendicular electric field dominates outside of the structures. Significant energy also returns from particles to fields.},

  doi          = {10.11578/1814936},

  journal      = {},

  number       = ,

  volume       = ,

  place        = {United States},

  year         = {Wed Oct 21 00:00:00 EDT 2020},

  month        = {Wed Oct 21 00:00:00 EDT 2020}

}

Copy to clipboard

Dataset:

View Dataset

DOI: https://doi.org/10.11578/1814936

Save / Share:

Export Metadata

Save to My Library

Works referenced in this record: