Turbulent Energization of Electron Power Law Tails during Magnetic Reconnection

Giovanni Lapenta, Jean Berchem, Mostafa El Alaoui, and Raymond Walker
Phys. Rev. Lett. 125, 225101 – Published 24 November 2020
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Abstract

Earth’s magnetotail is an excellent laboratory to study the interplay of reconnection and turbulence in determining electron energization. The process of formation of a power law tail during turbulent reconnection is a documented fact still in need of a comprehensive explanation. We conduct a massively parallel, particle in cell 3D simulation and use enhanced statistical resolution of the high energy range of the particle velocities to study how reconnection creates the conditions for the tail to be formed. The process is not direct acceleration by the coherent, laminar reconnection-generated electric field. Rather, reconnection causes turbulent outflows where energy exchange is dominated by a highly non-Gaussian distribution of fluctuations. Electron energization is diffuse throughout the entire reconnection outflow, but it is heightened by regions of intensified magnetic field such as dipolarization fronts traveling toward Earth.

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  • Received 10 July 2020
  • Revised 21 September 2020
  • Accepted 20 October 2020

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.125.225101

© 2020 American Physical Society

Physics Subject Headings (PhySH)

Plasma Physics

Authors & Affiliations

Giovanni Lapenta

  • Department of Mathematics, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium and Space Science Institute, Boulder, Colorado, USA

Jean Berchem and Mostafa El Alaoui

  • Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90095-1547, USA

Raymond Walker

  • Department of Earth, Planetary, and Space Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90095-1567, USA

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Issue

Vol. 125, Iss. 22 — 27 November 2020

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