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Title: The effect of reconnection electric field on crescent and U-shaped distribution functions in asymmetric reconnection with no guide field

Abstract

Electron distribution functions in the electron diffusion region in asymmetric reconnection without a guide field are studied by means of theory and 2-dimensional particle-in-cell (PIC) simulations. The effect of the reconnection electric field on crescent-shaped distribution functions is to broaden the thickness of the crescent. In this paper, we express the thickness of the crescent as a function of field strengths, the distance from the X-line, and the time electrons spend executing meandering orbits. The electron distribution at the reconnection X-line exhibits a U-shaped structure with an opening angle in the direction of the reconnection electric field. We predict the opening angle of the U-shaped distribution by considering acceleration of the meandering electrons by the reconnection electric field. Results from particle tracing in PIC simulations and theoretical analysis agree. The above predictions provide guidance to interpret measurements by spacecraft from electron diffusion regions in asymmetric reconnection.

Authors:
 [1];  [1];  [2]; ORCiD logo [1]
+ Show Author Affiliations
  1. Univ. of Maryland, College Park, MD (United States). Dept. of Astronomy; NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, MD (United Sates). Heliophysics Science Division
  2. Univ. of Bergen, Bergen (Norway). Birkeland Centre for Space Science
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Univ. of Maryland, College Park, MD (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE Office of Science (SC)
OSTI Identifier:
1535318
Alternate Identifier(s):
OSTI ID: 1368413
Grant/Contract Number:  
SC0016278
Resource Type:
Accepted Manuscript
Journal Name:
Physics of Plasmas
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 24; Journal Issue: 7; Journal ID: ISSN 1070-664X
Publisher:
American Institute of Physics (AIP)
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY; physics

Citation Formats

Bessho, N., Chen, L. -J., Hesse, M., and Wang, S. The effect of reconnection electric field on crescent and U-shaped distribution functions in asymmetric reconnection with no guide field. United States: N. p., 2017. Web. doi:10.1063/1.4989737.
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Bessho, N., Chen, L. -J., Hesse, M., & Wang, S. The effect of reconnection electric field on crescent and U-shaped distribution functions in asymmetric reconnection with no guide field. United States. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4989737
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Bessho, N., Chen, L. -J., Hesse, M., and Wang, S. Wed . "The effect of reconnection electric field on crescent and U-shaped distribution functions in asymmetric reconnection with no guide field". United States. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4989737. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1535318.
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@article{osti_1535318,
title = {The effect of reconnection electric field on crescent and U-shaped distribution functions in asymmetric reconnection with no guide field},
author = {Bessho, N. and Chen, L. -J. and Hesse, M. and Wang, S.},
abstractNote = {Electron distribution functions in the electron diffusion region in asymmetric reconnection without a guide field are studied by means of theory and 2-dimensional particle-in-cell (PIC) simulations. The effect of the reconnection electric field on crescent-shaped distribution functions is to broaden the thickness of the crescent. In this paper, we express the thickness of the crescent as a function of field strengths, the distance from the X-line, and the time electrons spend executing meandering orbits. The electron distribution at the reconnection X-line exhibits a U-shaped structure with an opening angle in the direction of the reconnection electric field. We predict the opening angle of the U-shaped distribution by considering acceleration of the meandering electrons by the reconnection electric field. Results from particle tracing in PIC simulations and theoretical analysis agree. The above predictions provide guidance to interpret measurements by spacecraft from electron diffusion regions in asymmetric reconnection.},
doi = {10.1063/1.4989737},
journal = {Physics of Plasmas},
number = 7,
volume = 24,
place = {United States},
year = {Wed Jul 05 00:00:00 EDT 2017},
month = {Wed Jul 05 00:00:00 EDT 2017}
}
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https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4989737
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Cited by: 17 works
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Works referenced in this record:

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    Works referencing / citing this record:

    Crescent‐Shaped Electron Distributions at the Nonreconnecting Magnetopause: Magnetospheric Multiscale Observations
    journal, March 2019

    • Tang, B. ‐B.; Li, W. Y.; Graham, D. B.
    • Geophysical Research Letters, Vol. 46, Issue 6
    • DOI: 10.1029/2019gl082231

    Energy Conversion and Electron Acceleration in the Magnetopause Reconnection Diffusion Region
    journal, September 2019

    • Pritchard, K. R.; Burch, J. L.; Fuselier, S. A.
    • Geophysical Research Letters, Vol. 46, Issue 17-18
    • DOI: 10.1029/2019gl084636

    Observation of Nongyrotropic Electron Distribution Across the Electron Diffusion Region in the Magnetotail Reconnection
    journal, December 2019

    • Li, Xinmin; Wang, Rongsheng; Lu, Quanming
    • Geophysical Research Letters, Vol. 46, Issue 24
    • DOI: 10.1029/2019gl085014

    The physical foundation of the reconnection electric field
    journal, March 2018

    • Hesse, M.; Liu, Y. -H.; Chen, L. -J.
    • Physics of Plasmas, Vol. 25, Issue 3
    • DOI: 10.1063/1.5021461

    Using the maximum entropy distribution to describe electrons in reconnecting current sheets
    journal, August 2018

    • Ng, Jonathan; Hakim, Ammar; Bhattacharjee, A.
    • Physics of Plasmas, Vol. 25, Issue 8
    • DOI: 10.1063/1.5041758

    On the role of separatrix instabilities in heating the reconnection outflow region
    journal, December 2018

    • Hesse, M.; Norgren, C.; Tenfjord, P.
    • Physics of Plasmas, Vol. 25, Issue 12
    • DOI: 10.1063/1.5054100

    Effects of the guide field on electron distribution functions in the diffusion region of asymmetric reconnection
    journal, August 2019

    • Bessho, N.; Chen, L. -J.; Wang, S.
    • Physics of Plasmas, Vol. 26, Issue 8
    • DOI: 10.1063/1.5092809

    The Physical Foundation of the Reconnection Electric Field
    text, January 2018

    Using the maximum entropy distribution to describe electrons in reconnecting current sheets
    text, January 2018

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