Equations of State for Collisionless Guide-Field Reconnection

A. Le, J. Egedal, W. Daughton, W. Fox, and N. Katz
Phys. Rev. Lett. 102, 085001 – Published 25 February 2009

Abstract

Direct in situ observation of magnetic reconnection in the Earth’s magnetotail as well as kinetic numerical studies have recently shown that the electron pressure in a collisionless reconnection region is strongly anisotropic. This anisotropy is mainly caused by the trapping of electrons in parallel electric fields. We present new equations of state for the parallel and perpendicular pressures for magnetized electrons. This model—derived here and tested against a kinetic simulation—allows a fluid description in a collisionless regime where parallel electric fields and the dynamics of both passing and trapped electrons are essential.

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  • Received 26 November 2008

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.102.085001

©2009 American Physical Society

Authors & Affiliations

A. Le1, J. Egedal1, W. Daughton2, W. Fox1, and N. Katz1

  • 1Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA
  • 2Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545, USA

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Issue

Vol. 102, Iss. 8 — 27 February 2009

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