Physics – Plasma Physics
Scientific paper
Dec 2009
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2009agufmsm43b1763d&link_type=abstract
American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting 2009, abstract #SM43B-1763
Physics
Plasma Physics
[2723] Magnetospheric Physics / Magnetic Reconnection, [7827] Space Plasma Physics / Kinetic And Mhd Theory
Scientific paper
In our work we use particle-in-cell simulations of plasma for the study of magnetic reconection. Details of the diffusive process inside electron diffusion region (EDR) are explored. Reconnection is considered in two-dimensional antiparallel approach and pressure anisotropy is well-known to provide for collisionless dissipation in such configurations. We identify particles of different trajectories near X-point and their contribution to the pressure tensor anisotropy. Electrons are magnetized far from X-point (gyrotropic particle distribution) but gyrotropy is lost as the magnetic field vanishes near the X-point and electrons behave non-adiabaticly. The transition between inflow distribution and accelerated particles manifests itself as a tilt of distribution function, which creates pressure anisotropy and renders electron pressure divergency to be non-zero. Assuming stationarity of the reconnection process, next we apply test particle approach and trace particles back in time over characteristic meandering time. It allows for the separation between different populations of particles: those particles which meander in the vicinity of X-point are accelerating and trapped, whereas magnetized particles display drift motion and stay inside the inflow region. Model of electron pressure anisotropy is proposed, based on such bi-Maxwellian origin of the distribution function inside EDR. Equating reconnection electric field and divergency of pressure tensor at the X-point, we obtain scalings for the elecron flow velocity, width and total electron current within EDR.
Divin A. V.
Lapenta Giovanni
Markidis Stefano
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