Characterizing Ion Flows Across a Magnetotail Dipolarization Jet: Characterizing Ion Flows Across a Magnetotail Dipolarization Jet

Journal Article · 17 July 2018 · Journal of Geophysical Research. Space Physics

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1029/2018JA025604 · OSTI ID:1544238

Arnold, H.  ^[1]; Swisdak, M.  ^[1]; Drake, J. F.  ^[1]

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1. Univ. of Maryland, College Park, MD (United States). Inst. for Research in Electronics and Applied Physics

The structure of dipolarization jets with finite width in the dawn-dusk direction relevant to magnetic reconnection in the Earth's magnetotail is explored with particle-in-cell simulations. We carry out Riemann simulations of the evolution of the jet in the dawn-dusk, north-south plane to investigate the dependence of the jet structure on the jet width in the dawn-dusk direction. We find that the magnetic field and Earth-directed ion flow structure depend on the dawn-dusk width. A reversal in the usual Hall magnetic field near the center of the current sheet on the duskside of larger jets is observed. For small widths, the maximum velocity of the earthward flow is significantly reduced below the theoretical limit of the upstream Alfvén speed. However, the ion flow speed approaches this limit once the width exceeds the ion Larmor radius based on the normal magnetic field, $B^z$.

• Research Organization: Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States). National Energy Research Scientific Computing Center (NERSC)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Office of Science (SC)
• OSTI ID: 1544238
• Journal Information: Journal of Geophysical Research. Space Physics, Journal Name: Journal of Geophysical Research. Space Physics Journal Issue: 8 Vol. 123; ISSN 2169-9380
• Publisher: American Geophysical UnionCopyright Statement
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English