Reconnection in the Heliosheath: Effects of Plasma Beta on Particle Acceleration and the Shape of Magnetic Islands

Physics – Plasma Physics

Scientific paper

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[7514] Solar Physics, Astrophysics, And Astronomy / Energetic Particles, [7526] Solar Physics, Astrophysics, And Astronomy / Magnetic Reconnection, [7835] Space Plasma Physics / Magnetic Reconnection, [7845] Space Plasma Physics / Particle Acceleration

Scientific paper

In the heliosheath it has been predicted that current sheets are compressed and break up into magnetic islands or bubbles. The interaction of particles in these islands via the Fermi process in contracting islands has been predicted to be a source of anomalous cosmic rays (ACRs). The plasma β (the ratio of the plasma pressure to the magnetic pressure) can have a large range of values in this region. We investigate the effects of β on the formation of islands, and of the acceleration of particles as these magnetic islands form. Using a particle-in-cell code, we simulate island growth in multiple interacting Harris current sheets. We produce different values of β by changing the temperature of a background population. We find that for higher β significantly more elongated islands are formed. More modestly elongated islands are suppressed by pressure anisotropy approaching the marginal firehose condition. Measurements from the Voyager spacecrafts are consistent with these long islands. We also find significantly less electron acceleration as β increases, while the ions are mostly unaffected. Scattering of the electrons in high β systems (β > 1) halts the Fermi process while the ions continue to be accelerated.

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