Turbulent energization of electron power law tails during magnetic reconnection

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 towards Earth.

arXiv comment6 figures. Ti appear on Physical Review Letters

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Cited by in corpus (2)

• PIC methods in astrophysics: Simulations of relativistic jets and kinetic physics in astrophysical systems
• Preferential acceleration of heavy ions in magnetic reconnection: Hybrid-kinetic simulations with electron inertia