Experimental verification of the role of electron pressure in fast magnetic reconnection with a guide field
Abstract
We report detailed laboratory observations of the structure of a reconnection current sheet in a two-fluid plasma regime with a guide magnetic field. We observe and quantitatively analyze the quadrupolar electron pressure variation in the ion-diffusion region, as originally predicted by extended magnetohydrodynamics simulations. The projection of the electron pressure gradient parallel to the magnetic field contributes significantly to balancing the parallel electric field, and the resulting cross-field electron jets in the reconnection layer are diamagnetic in origin. Furthermore, these results demonstrate how parallel and perpendicular force balance are coupled in guide field reconnection and confirm basic theoretical models of the importance of electron pressure gradients for obtaining fast magnetic reconnection.
- Authors:
-
- Princeton Plasma Physics Lab. (PPPL), Princeton, NJ (United States)
- Imperial College, London (United Kingdom); Massachusetts Inst. of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA (United States)
- Max-Planck-Institut fur Plasmaphysik, Greifswald (Germany)
- Publication Date:
- Research Org.:
- Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL), Princeton, NJ (United States)
- Sponsoring Org.:
- USDOE
- OSTI Identifier:
- 1371564
- Alternate Identifier(s):
- OSTI ID: 1347821
- Report Number(s):
- PPPL-5370
Journal ID: ISSN 0031-9007; PRLTAO; TRN: US1702765
- Grant/Contract Number:
- AC02-04CH11466; NNH15AB29I; NNH14AX631; 633053; AC0204CH11466
- Resource Type:
- Accepted Manuscript
- Journal Name:
- Physical Review Letters
- Additional Journal Information:
- Journal Volume: 118; Journal Issue: 12; Journal ID: ISSN 0031-9007
- Publisher:
- American Physical Society (APS)
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- 70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
Citation Formats
Fox, W., Sciortino, F., v. Stechow, A., Jara-Almonte, J., Yoo, J., Ji, H., and Yamada, M. Experimental verification of the role of electron pressure in fast magnetic reconnection with a guide field. United States: N. p., 2017.
Web. doi:10.1103/PhysRevLett.118.125002.
Fox, W., Sciortino, F., v. Stechow, A., Jara-Almonte, J., Yoo, J., Ji, H., & Yamada, M. Experimental verification of the role of electron pressure in fast magnetic reconnection with a guide field. United States. https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.118.125002
Fox, W., Sciortino, F., v. Stechow, A., Jara-Almonte, J., Yoo, J., Ji, H., and Yamada, M. Tue .
"Experimental verification of the role of electron pressure in fast magnetic reconnection with a guide field". United States. https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.118.125002. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1371564.
@article{osti_1371564,
title = {Experimental verification of the role of electron pressure in fast magnetic reconnection with a guide field},
author = {Fox, W. and Sciortino, F. and v. Stechow, A. and Jara-Almonte, J. and Yoo, J. and Ji, H. and Yamada, M.},
abstractNote = {We report detailed laboratory observations of the structure of a reconnection current sheet in a two-fluid plasma regime with a guide magnetic field. We observe and quantitatively analyze the quadrupolar electron pressure variation in the ion-diffusion region, as originally predicted by extended magnetohydrodynamics simulations. The projection of the electron pressure gradient parallel to the magnetic field contributes significantly to balancing the parallel electric field, and the resulting cross-field electron jets in the reconnection layer are diamagnetic in origin. Furthermore, these results demonstrate how parallel and perpendicular force balance are coupled in guide field reconnection and confirm basic theoretical models of the importance of electron pressure gradients for obtaining fast magnetic reconnection.},
doi = {10.1103/PhysRevLett.118.125002},
journal = {Physical Review Letters},
number = 12,
volume = 118,
place = {United States},
year = {Tue Mar 21 00:00:00 EDT 2017},
month = {Tue Mar 21 00:00:00 EDT 2017}
}
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Works referencing / citing this record:
Magnetic Reconnection at a Thin Current Sheet Separating Two Interlaced Flux Tubes at the Earth's Magnetopause
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