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Title: Three-dimensional dynamics of vortex-induced reconnection and comparison with THEMIS observations

Abstract

The entry of solar wind into the magnetosphere is strongly influenced by kinetic-scale boundary layers where the rapid variation in the magnetic field and/or velocity can drive transport. In current layers with strong Alfvénic velocity shear, the generation of vortices from the Kelvin-Helmholtz instability can drive magnetic reconnection even in broader current sheets by locally compressing these layers as the vortices develop. Previous two-dimensional (2-D) fully kinetic simulations of this vortex-induced reconnection process have demonstrated the copious formation of magnetic islands in regions of strongly compressed current between the vortices. Here we describe the first three-dimensional (3-D) fully kinetic simulations of this process and demonstrate that the compressed current sheets give rise to magnetic flux ropes over a range of oblique angles and along the entire extent of the compressed current layer around the periphery of the vortex. These flux ropes propagate with the shear flow and eventually merge with the vortex. Over longer time scales, this basic scenario is repeated as the vortices drive new compressed current sheets. In the final stage, the vortices undergo a merging process that drives new compressed current sheets and flux ropes. Based on these simulations, a simple model is proposed that predicts themore » size of these flux ropes relative to their parent vortex. Both the relative sizes as well as the structure of the profiles across the vortex are in reasonable agreement with Time History of Events and Macroscale Interactions (THEMIS) observations at the Earth's low-latitude magnetopause.« less

Authors:
 [1];  [1];  [2];  [3]
+ Show Author Affiliations
  1. Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
  2. Univ. of California, San Diego, CA (United States)
  3. Univ. of Colorado, Boulder, CO (United States)
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States). Oak Ridge Leadership Computing Facility (OLCF); UT-Battelle LLC/ORNL, Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Univ. of California, San Diego, CA (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE Office of Science (SC)
OSTI Identifier:
1564934
Grant/Contract Number:  
AC05-00OR22725; SC0004662
Resource Type:
Accepted Manuscript
Journal Name:
Journal of Geophysical Research. Space Physics
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 118; Journal Issue: 9; Journal ID: ISSN 2169-9380
Publisher:
American Geophysical Union
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS; Astronomy & Astrophysics

Citation Formats

Nakamura, T. K. M., Daughton, W., Karimabadi, H., and Eriksson, S. Three-dimensional dynamics of vortex-induced reconnection and comparison with THEMIS observations. United States: N. p., 2013. Web. doi:10.1002/jgra.50547.
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Nakamura, T. K. M., Daughton, W., Karimabadi, H., & Eriksson, S. Three-dimensional dynamics of vortex-induced reconnection and comparison with THEMIS observations. United States. https://doi.org/10.1002/jgra.50547
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Nakamura, T. K. M., Daughton, W., Karimabadi, H., and Eriksson, S. Fri . "Three-dimensional dynamics of vortex-induced reconnection and comparison with THEMIS observations". United States. https://doi.org/10.1002/jgra.50547. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1564934.
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@article{osti_1564934,
title = {Three-dimensional dynamics of vortex-induced reconnection and comparison with THEMIS observations},
author = {Nakamura, T. K. M. and Daughton, W. and Karimabadi, H. and Eriksson, S.},
abstractNote = {The entry of solar wind into the magnetosphere is strongly influenced by kinetic-scale boundary layers where the rapid variation in the magnetic field and/or velocity can drive transport. In current layers with strong Alfvénic velocity shear, the generation of vortices from the Kelvin-Helmholtz instability can drive magnetic reconnection even in broader current sheets by locally compressing these layers as the vortices develop. Previous two-dimensional (2-D) fully kinetic simulations of this vortex-induced reconnection process have demonstrated the copious formation of magnetic islands in regions of strongly compressed current between the vortices. Here we describe the first three-dimensional (3-D) fully kinetic simulations of this process and demonstrate that the compressed current sheets give rise to magnetic flux ropes over a range of oblique angles and along the entire extent of the compressed current layer around the periphery of the vortex. These flux ropes propagate with the shear flow and eventually merge with the vortex. Over longer time scales, this basic scenario is repeated as the vortices drive new compressed current sheets. In the final stage, the vortices undergo a merging process that drives new compressed current sheets and flux ropes. Based on these simulations, a simple model is proposed that predicts the size of these flux ropes relative to their parent vortex. Both the relative sizes as well as the structure of the profiles across the vortex are in reasonable agreement with Time History of Events and Macroscale Interactions (THEMIS) observations at the Earth's low-latitude magnetopause.},
doi = {10.1002/jgra.50547},
journal = {Journal of Geophysical Research. Space Physics},
number = 9,
volume = 118,
place = {United States},
year = {Fri Sep 06 00:00:00 EDT 2013},
month = {Fri Sep 06 00:00:00 EDT 2013}
}
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https://doi.org/10.1002/jgra.50547
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