Multispacecraft observations of the electron current sheet, neighboring magnetic islands, and electron acceleration during magnetotail reconnection
Result description
Open questions concerning structures and dynamics of diffusion regions and electron acceleration in collisionless magnetic reconnection are addressed based on data from the four-spacecraft mission Cluster and particle-in-cell simulations. Using time series of electron distribution functions measured by the four spacecraft, distinct electron regions around a reconnection layer are mapped out to set the framework for studying diffusion regions. A spatially extended electron current sheet ecs , a series ofmagnetic islands, and bursts of energetic electrons within islands are identified during magnetotail reconnection with no appreciable guide field. The ecs is collocated with a layer of electron-scale electric fields normal to the ecs and pointing towardthe ecs center plane. Both the observed electron and ion densities vary by more than a factor of 2 within one ion skin depth north and south of the ecs, and from the ecs into magnetic islands.
Keywords
magnetotail reconnectionelectron current sheetmultispacecraft observations
The result's identifiers
Result code in IS VaVaI
Result on the web
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DOI - Digital Object Identifier
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Alternative languages
Result language
angličtina
Original language name
Multispacecraft observations of the electron current sheet, neighboring magnetic islands, and electron acceleration during magnetotail reconnection
Original language description
Open questions concerning structures and dynamics of diffusion regions and electron acceleration in collisionless magnetic reconnection are addressed based on data from the four-spacecraft mission Cluster and particle-in-cell simulations. Using time series of electron distribution functions measured by the four spacecraft, distinct electron regions around a reconnection layer are mapped out to set the framework for studying diffusion regions. A spatially extended electron current sheet ecs , a series ofmagnetic islands, and bursts of energetic electrons within islands are identified during magnetotail reconnection with no appreciable guide field. The ecs is collocated with a layer of electron-scale electric fields normal to the ecs and pointing towardthe ecs center plane. Both the observed electron and ion densities vary by more than a factor of 2 within one ion skin depth north and south of the ecs, and from the ecs into magnetic islands.
Czech name
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Czech description
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Classification
Type
Jx - Unclassified - Peer-reviewed scientific article (Jimp, Jsc and Jost)
CEP classification
BL - Plasma physics and discharge through gases
OECD FORD branch
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Result continuities
Project
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Continuities
Z - Vyzkumny zamer (s odkazem do CEZ)
Others
Publication year
2009
Confidentiality
S - Úplné a pravdivé údaje o projektu nepodléhají ochraně podle zvláštních právních předpisů
Data specific for result type
Name of the periodical
Physics of Plasmas
ISSN
1070-664X
e-ISSN
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Volume of the periodical
16
Issue of the periodical within the volume
-
Country of publishing house
US - UNITED STATES
Number of pages
12
Pages from-to
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UT code for WoS article
000266500600126
EID of the result in the Scopus database
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Basic information
Result type
Jx - Unclassified - Peer-reviewed scientific article (Jimp, Jsc and Jost)
CEP
BL - Plasma physics and discharge through gases
Year of implementation
2009