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Title: Parallel electric fields are inefficient drivers of energetic electrons in magnetic reconnection

Abstract

We present two-dimensional kinetic simulations, with a broad range of initial guide fields, which isolate the role of parallel electric fields (E-∥) in energetic electron production during collisionless magnetic reconnection. In the strong guide field regime, E-∥ drives essentially all of the electron energy gains, yet fails to generate an energetic component. Here, we suggest that this is due to the weak energy scaling of particle acceleration from E-∥ compared to that of a Fermi-type mechanism responsible for energetic electron production in the weak guide-field regime. Lastly, this result has important implications for energetic electron production in astrophysical systems and reconnection-driven dissipation in turbulence.

Authors:
 [1];  [1];  [1]
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  1. Univ. of Maryland, College Park, MD (United States). Inst. for Research in Electronics and Applied Physics
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Univ. of Maryland, College Park, MD (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE; National Science Foundation (NSF); National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
OSTI Identifier:
1465371
Alternate Identifier(s):
OSTI ID: 1336481
Grant/Contract Number:  
FG02-93ER54197; NNX14AC78G; PHY1500460
Resource Type:
Accepted Manuscript
Journal Name:
Physics of Plasmas
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 23; Journal Issue: 12; Journal ID: ISSN 1070-664X
Publisher:
American Institute of Physics (AIP)
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS; 70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY

Citation Formats

Dahlin, J. T., Drake, J. F., and Swisdak, M. Parallel electric fields are inefficient drivers of energetic electrons in magnetic reconnection. United States: N. p., 2016. Web. doi:10.1063/1.4972082.
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Dahlin, J. T., Drake, J. F., & Swisdak, M. Parallel electric fields are inefficient drivers of energetic electrons in magnetic reconnection. United States. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4972082
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Dahlin, J. T., Drake, J. F., and Swisdak, M. Thu . "Parallel electric fields are inefficient drivers of energetic electrons in magnetic reconnection". United States. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4972082. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1465371.
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@article{osti_1465371,
title = {Parallel electric fields are inefficient drivers of energetic electrons in magnetic reconnection},
author = {Dahlin, J. T. and Drake, J. F. and Swisdak, M.},
abstractNote = {We present two-dimensional kinetic simulations, with a broad range of initial guide fields, which isolate the role of parallel electric fields (E-∥) in energetic electron production during collisionless magnetic reconnection. In the strong guide field regime, E-∥ drives essentially all of the electron energy gains, yet fails to generate an energetic component. Here, we suggest that this is due to the weak energy scaling of particle acceleration from E-∥ compared to that of a Fermi-type mechanism responsible for energetic electron production in the weak guide-field regime. Lastly, this result has important implications for energetic electron production in astrophysical systems and reconnection-driven dissipation in turbulence.},
doi = {10.1063/1.4972082},
journal = {Physics of Plasmas},
number = 12,
volume = 23,
place = {United States},
year = {Thu Dec 15 00:00:00 EST 2016},
month = {Thu Dec 15 00:00:00 EST 2016}
}
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https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4972082
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    Works referencing / citing this record:

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