Structure and Dynamics of Three-Dimensional Magnetotail Reconnection

Walker, Raymond J.; Lapenta, Giovanni; Liang, Haoming; Berchem, Jean; El-Alaoui, Mostafa; Goldstein, Melvyn L.

doi:10.1029/2018JA025509

Title: Structure and Dynamics of Three-Dimensional Magnetotail Reconnection

Journal Article · Sat Sep 15 00:00:00 EDT 2018 · Journal of Geophysical Research. Space Physics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/2018JA025509· OSTI ID:1544195

^[1];

^[2];

^[3]; Berchem, Jean ^[1];

^[1];

^[4]

Univ. of California, Los Angeles, CA (United States)
Katholicke Univ., Leuven (Belgium)
Univ. of California, Los Angeles, CA (United States); West Virginia Univ., Morgantown, WV (United States)
Space Science Institute, Boulder, CO (United States); NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), Greenbelt, MD (United States)

In this study, we have used a global magnetohydrodynamic simulation and embedded particle-in-cell (PIC) simulation to analyze magnetotail reconnection in and near the electron diffusion region (EDR). Results from the magnetohydrodynamic simulation were used to set the initial and boundary conditions for the large-scale implicit PIC simulation. We examined proxies for the EDR (the nongyrotropy of the electron distribution function, slippage, and the nonideal terms in Ohm's law and the work done [J·E'] in the electron frame). The reconnection was well organized by the B_x = 0 surface. All of the proxies gave false positive values but together, along with the magnetic field B_z component and calculations of magnetic field lines, we were able to locate the EDR. Three of the proxies (the slippage, the nonideal terms in Ohm's law, and agyrotropy) give consistent results in the EDR. The EDR is structured and time dependent. Multiple EDRs aligned roughly parallel to the X axis extended from X ~ -31R_E to X ~ -38R_E with structure in the Y direction. There are regions with both J·E' < 0 and J·' > 0. Wave-like behavior with a scale of ~0.5R_E or 2–3d_i develops in the reconnected plasma sheet. The structure is closely related to strong electron flows in the YZ plane and to the density gradient at the outer edge of the plasma sheet. Finally, these results are consistent with expectations for the lower hybrid drift instability coupled with a shear-type instability such as the Kelvin-Helmholtz instability. Similar results were found in a Harris sheet PIC simulation.

View Accepted Manuscript (DOE)

Cite

Export

Save

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)

Grant/Contract Number:: AC02-05CH11231; 80NSSC17K0014; AGS-1450864; IAP P7/08 CHARM; NNX08AO48G; 80GSFC17C0018

OSTI ID:: 1544195

Alternate ID(s):: OSTI ID: 1479508

Journal Information:: Journal of Geophysical Research. Space Physics, Vol. 123, Issue 10; ISSN 2169-9380

Publisher:: American Geophysical UnionCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

Citation Metrics:

Cited by: 3 works

Citation information provided by
Web of Science

References (57)

The effects of turbulence on three-dimensional magnetic reconnection at the magnetopause: TURBULENCE DURING 3D RECONNECTION Price, L.; Swisdak, M.; Drake, J. F. Geophysical Research Letters, Vol. 43, Issue 12 https://doi.org/10.1002/2016GL069578	journal	June 2016
Numerical simulations of separatrix instabilities in collisionless magnetic reconnection Divin, A.; Lapenta, G.; Markidis, S. Physics of Plasmas, Vol. 19, Issue 4 https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3698621	journal	April 2012
Three-Dimensional Dynamics of Collisionless Magnetic Reconnection in Large-Scale Pair Plasmas Yin, L.; Daughton, W.; Karimabadi, H. Physical Review Letters, Vol. 101, Issue 12 https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.101.125001	journal	September 2008
A perfectly matched layer for the absorption of electromagnetic waves Berenger, Jean-Pierre Journal of Computational Physics, Vol. 114, Issue 2 https://doi.org/10.1006/jcph.1994.1159	journal	October 1994
Identifying the electron diffusion region in a realistic simulation of Earth's magnetotail: Identifying the EDR Ashour-Abdalla, Maha; Lapenta, Giovanni; Walker, Raymond Geophysical Research Letters, Vol. 43, Issue 12 https://doi.org/10.1002/2016GL069355	journal	June 2016
Intense perpendicular electric fields associated with three-dimensional magnetic reconnection at the subsolar magnetopause: INTENSE PERPENDICULAR ELECTRIC FIELDS Pritchett, P. L.; Mozer, F. S.; Wilber, M. Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics, Vol. 117, Issue A6 https://doi.org/10.1029/2012JA017533	journal	June 2012
Interplanetary Magnetic Field and the Auroral Zones Dungey, J. W. Physical Review Letters, Vol. 6, Issue 2 https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.6.47	journal	January 1961
Quantifying gyrotropy in magnetic reconnection Swisdak, M. Geophysical Research Letters, Vol. 43, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1002/2015GL066980	journal	January 2016
Electron nongyrotropy in the context of collisionless magnetic reconnection Aunai, Nicolas; Hesse, Michael; Kuznetsova, Maria Physics of Plasmas, Vol. 20, Issue 9 https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4820953	journal	September 2013
Two-Scale Structure of the Electron Dissipation Region during Collisionless Magnetic Reconnection Shay, M. A.; Drake, J. F.; Swisdak, M. Physical Review Letters, Vol. 99, Issue 15 https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.99.155002	journal	October 2007
Observations and simulations of non-local acceleration of electrons in magnetotail magnetic reconnection events Ashour-Abdalla, Maha; El-Alaoui, Mostafa; Goldstein, Melvyn L. Nature Physics, Vol. 7, Issue 4 https://doi.org/10.1038/nphys1903	journal	January 2011
Inherently three dimensional magnetic reconnection: A mechanism for bursty bulk flows?: INHERENTLY 3-D RECONNECTION Shay, M. A.; Drake, J. F.; Swisdak, M. Geophysical Research Letters, Vol. 30, Issue 6 https://doi.org/10.1029/2002GL016267	journal	March 2003
Current disruption during November 24, 1996, substorm El-Alaoui, Mostafa Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics, Vol. 106, Issue A4 https://doi.org/10.1029/1999JA000260	journal	April 2001
Multi-scale structure of the electron diffusion region: STRUCTURE OF THE ELECTRON DIFFUSION REGION Karimabadi, H.; Daughton, W.; Scudder, J. Geophysical Research Letters, Vol. 34, Issue 13 https://doi.org/10.1029/2007GL030306	journal	July 2007
Energy exchanges in reconnection outflows Lapenta, Giovanni; Goldman, Martin V.; Newman, David L. Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion, Vol. 59, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1088/0741-3335/59/1/014019	journal	October 2016
Substorm evolution as revealed by THEMIS satellites and a global MHD simulation: SUBSTORM EVOLUTION El-Alaoui, Mostafa; Ashour-Abdalla, Maha; Walker, Raymond J. Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics, Vol. 114, Issue A8 https://doi.org/10.1029/2009JA014133	journal	August 2009
Plasmoid-Induced Turbulence in Collisionless Magnetic Reconnection Fujimoto, Keizo; Sydora, Richard D. Physical Review Letters, Vol. 109, Issue 26 https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.109.265004	journal	December 2012
Proton/electron temperature ratio in the magnetotail Artemyev, A. V.; Baumjohann, W.; Petrukovich, A. A. Annales Geophysicae, Vol. 29, Issue 12 https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-29-2253-2011	journal	January 2011
Nonlinear evolution of the lower hybrid drift instability: Current sheet thinning and kinking Lapenta, Giovanni; Brackbill, J. U. Physics of Plasmas, Vol. 9, Issue 5 https://doi.org/10.1063/1.1464149	journal	May 2002
Geospace Environmental Modeling (GEM) Magnetic Reconnection Challenge Birn, J.; Drake, J. F.; Shay, M. A. Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics, Vol. 106, Issue A3 https://doi.org/10.1029/1999JA900449	journal	March 2001
The unexpected role of the lower hybrid drift instability in magnetic reconnection in three dimensions Lapenta, Giovanni; Brackbill, J. U.; Daughton, W. S. Physics of Plasmas, Vol. 10, Issue 5 https://doi.org/10.1063/1.1560615	journal	May 2003
Evidence for an Elongated ( $> 60$ Ion Skin Depths) Electron Diffusion Region during Fast Magnetic Reconnection Phan, T. D.; Drake, J. F.; Shay, M. A. Physical Review Letters, Vol. 99, Issue 25 https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.99.255002	journal	December 2007
Multi-scale simulations of plasma with iPIC3D Markidis, Stefano; Lapenta, Giovanni Mathematics and Computers in Simulation, Vol. 80, Issue 7 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matcom.2009.08.038	journal	March 2010
The structure of the distant geomagnetic tail during long periods of northward IMF Raeder, J.; Walker, R. J.; Ashour-Abdalla, M. Geophysical Research Letters, Vol. 22, Issue 4 https://doi.org/10.1029/94GL03380	journal	February 1995
THEMIS observation of multiple dipolarization fronts and associated wave characteristics in the near-Earth magnetotail Zhou, Meng; Ashour-Abdalla, Maha; Deng, Xiaohua Geophysical Research Letters, Vol. 36, Issue 20 https://doi.org/10.1029/2009GL040663	journal	January 2009
Linear theory of the current sheet shear instability: THEORY OF THE CURRENT SHEET SHEAR MODE Fujimoto, Keizo; Sydora, Richard D. Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics, Vol. 122, Issue 5 https://doi.org/10.1002/2017JA024079	journal	May 2017
On the 3-D structure and dissipation of reconnection-driven flow bursts Drake, J. F.; Swisdak, M.; Cassak, P. A. Geophysical Research Letters, Vol. 41, Issue 11 https://doi.org/10.1002/2014GL060249	journal	June 2014
Ion-ion kink instability in the magnetotail: 1. Linear theory Karimabadi, H. Journal of Geophysical Research, Vol. 108, Issue A11 https://doi.org/10.1029/2003JA010026	journal	January 2003
What Can We Learn about Magnetotail Reconnection from 2D PIC Harris-Sheet Simulations? Goldman, M. V.; Newman, D. L.; Lapenta, G. Space Science Reviews, Vol. 199, Issue 1-4 https://doi.org/10.1007/s11214-015-0154-y	journal	May 2015
Kinetic simulations of x-line expansion in 3D reconnection: X-LINE EXPANSION IN 3D KINETIC RECONNECTION Lapenta, Giovanni; Krauss-Varban, D.; Karimabadi, H. Geophysical Research Letters, Vol. 33, Issue 10 https://doi.org/10.1029/2005GL025124	journal	May 2006
The Geospace Environment Modeling Grand Challenge: Results from a Global Geospace Circulation Model Raeder, J.; Berchem, J.; Ashour-Abdalla, M. Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics, Vol. 103, Issue A7 https://doi.org/10.1029/98JA00014	journal	July 1998
Guide field dependence of 3-D X-line spreading during collisionless magnetic reconnection: X-LINE SPREADING Shepherd, L. S.; Cassak, P. A. Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics, Vol. 117, Issue A10 https://doi.org/10.1029/2012JA017867	journal	October 2012
Rapid Large-Scale Magnetic-Field Dissipation in a Collisionless Current Sheet via Coupling between Kelvin-Helmholtz and Lower-Hybrid Drift Instabilities Shinohara, I.; Suzuki, H.; Fujimoto, M. Physical Review Letters, Vol. 87, Issue 9 https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.87.095001	journal	August 2001
The inner structure of collisionless magnetic reconnection: The electron-frame dissipation measure and Hall fields Zenitani, Seiji; Hesse, Michael; Klimas, Alex Physics of Plasmas, Vol. 18, Issue 12 https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3662430	journal	December 2011
A theoretical foundation of general magnetic reconnection Hesse, M.; Schindler, K. Journal of Geophysical Research, Vol. 93, Issue A6 https://doi.org/10.1029/JA093iA06p05559	journal	January 1988
Nonlocal sausage-like instability of current channels in electron magnetohydrodynamics Das, Amita; Kaw, Predhiman Physics of Plasmas, Vol. 8, Issue 10 https://doi.org/10.1063/1.1399059	journal	October 2001
“Illuminating” electron diffusion regions of collisionless magnetic reconnection using electron agyrotropy: ELECTRON DIFFUSION REGION AND AGYROTROPY Scudder, Jack; Daughton, William Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics, Vol. 113, Issue A6 https://doi.org/10.1029/2008JA013035	journal	June 2008
Secondary reconnection sites in reconnection-generated flux ropes and reconnection fronts Lapenta, Giovanni; Markidis, Stefano; Goldman, Martin V. Nature Physics, Vol. 11, Issue 8 https://doi.org/10.1038/nphys3406	journal	July 2015
A new convection state at substorm onset: Results from an MHD study: SUBSTORM ONSET Ashour-Abdalla, M.; El-Alaoui, M.; Coroniti, F. V. Geophysical Research Letters, Vol. 29, Issue 20 https://doi.org/10.1029/2002GL015787	journal	October 2002
A multiscale study of ion heating in Earth's magnetotail Lapenta, Giovanni; Ashour‐Abdalla, Maha; Walker, Raymond J. Geophysical Research Letters, Vol. 43, Issue 2 https://doi.org/10.1002/2015GL066689	journal	January 2016
Theoretical models of magnetic field line merging Vasyliunas, Vytenis M. Reviews of Geophysics, Vol. 13, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1029/RG013i001p00303	journal	January 1975
Construction of magnetic reconnection in the near-Earth magnetotail with Geotail: STRUCTURE OF RECONNECTION Nagai, T.; Shinohara, I.; Fujimoto, M. Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics, Vol. 116, Issue A4 https://doi.org/10.1029/2010JA016283	journal	April 2011
Sweet's mechanism for merging magnetic fields in conducting fluids Parker, E. N. Journal of Geophysical Research, Vol. 62, Issue 4 https://doi.org/10.1029/JZ062i004p00509	journal	December 1957
The structure of the electron outflow jet in collisionless magnetic reconnection Hesse, Michael; Zenitani, Seiji; Klimas, Alex Physics of Plasmas, Vol. 15, Issue 11 https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3006341	journal	November 2008
A Multi Level Multi Domain Method for Particle In Cell plasma simulations Innocenti, M. E.; Lapenta, G.; Markidis, S. Journal of Computational Physics, Vol. 238 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcp.2012.12.028	journal	April 2013
Fully kinetic simulations of undriven magnetic reconnection with open boundary conditions Daughton, William; Scudder, Jack; Karimabadi, Homa Physics of Plasmas, Vol. 13, Issue 7 https://doi.org/10.1063/1.2218817	journal	July 2006
Multiscale study of electron energization during unsteady reconnection events Ashour‐Abdalla, Maha; Lapenta, Giovanni; Walker, Raymond J. Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics, Vol. 120, Issue 6 https://doi.org/10.1002/2014JA020316	journal	June 2015
Global Three‐Dimensional Simulation of Earth's Dayside Reconnection Using a Two‐Way Coupled Magnetohydrodynamics With Embedded Particle‐in‐Cell Model: Initial Results Chen, Yuxi; Tóth, Gábor; Cassak, Paul Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics, Vol. 122, Issue 10 https://doi.org/10.1002/2017JA024186	journal	October 2017
On the origin of the crescent‐shaped distributions observed by MMS at the magnetopause Lapenta, G.; Berchem, J.; Zhou, M. Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics, Vol. 122, Issue 2 https://doi.org/10.1002/2016JA023290	journal	February 2017
Turbulence in Three-Dimensional Simulations of Magnetopause Reconnection: TURBULENCE DURING 3-D RECONNECTION Price, L.; Swisdak, M.; Drake, J. F. Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics, Vol. 122, Issue 11 https://doi.org/10.1002/2017JA024227	journal	November 2017
The interaction of finite‐width reconnection exhaust jets with a dipolar magnetic field configuration Pritchett, P. L.; Runov, A. Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics, Vol. 122, Issue 3 https://doi.org/10.1002/2016JA023784	journal	March 2017
Generation of Pi2 pulsations by intermittent earthward propagating dipolarization fronts: An MHD case study: GENERATION OF Pi2 PULSATIONS BY DFs Ream, J. B.; Walker, R. J.; Ashour-Abdalla, M. Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics, Vol. 118, Issue 10 https://doi.org/10.1002/2013JA018734	journal	October 2013
Current sheet flapping motions in the tailward flow of magnetic reconnection Wu, Mingyu; Lu, Quanming; Volwerk, Martin Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics, Vol. 121, Issue 8 https://doi.org/10.1002/2016JA022819	journal	August 2016
Rapid Large-Scale Magnetic-Field Dissipation in a Collisionless Current Sheet via Coupling between Kelvin-Helmholtz and Lower-Hybrid Drift Instabilities Fujimoto, M.; Hoshino, M.; Shinohara, I. The American Physical Society https://doi.org/10.17877/de290r-6408	text	January 2001
On the 3-D structure and dissipation of reconnection-driven flow-bursts Drake, J. F.; Swisdak, M.; Cassak, P. A. arXiv https://doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.1401.7056	text	January 2014
The Effects of Turbulence on Three-Dimensional Magnetic Reconnection at the Magnetopause Price, L.; Swisdak, M.; Drake, J. F. arXiv https://doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.1604.08172	text	January 2016
Energy exchanges in reconnection outflows Lapenta, Giovanni; Goldman, Martin V.; Newman, Davd L. arXiv https://doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.1607.00535	text	January 2016

Similar Records

Electron Physics in 3‐D Two‐Fluid 10‐Moment Modeling of Ganymede's Magnetosphere

Journal Article · Sat Apr 21 00:00:00 EDT 2018 · Journal of Geophysical Research. Space Physics · OSTI ID:1544195

Wang, Liang; Germaschewski, Kai; Hakim, Ammar; +3 more

Origins of effective resistivity in collisionless magnetic reconnection

Journal Article · Tue Jul 15 00:00:00 EDT 2014 · Physics of Plasmas · OSTI ID:1544195

Singh, Nagendra

Tearing stability of the two-dimensional magnetotail

Journal Article · Sun Oct 01 00:00:00 EDT 1995 · Physics of Plasmas · OSTI ID:1544195

Harrold, B G; Bhattacharjee, A; Wang, X

Related Subjects

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS
reconnection
MHD and kinetic simulation
magnetotail

Title: Structure and Dynamics of Three-Dimensional Magnetotail Reconnection

Citation Formats

References (57)

Similar Records

Related Subjects