2
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Sakai K, Moritaka T, Morita T, Tomita K, Minami T, Nishimoto T, Egashira S, Ota M, Sakawa Y, Ozaki N, Kodama R, Kojima T, Takezaki T, Yamazaki R, Tanaka SJ, Aihara K, Koenig M, Albertazzi B, Mabey P, Woolsey N, Matsukiyo S, Takabe H, Hoshino M, Kuramitsu Y. Direct observations of pure electron outflow in magnetic reconnection. Sci Rep 2022; 12:10921. [PMID: 35773286 PMCID: PMC9247195 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-14582-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2022] [Accepted: 06/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Magnetic reconnection is a universal process in space, astrophysical, and laboratory plasmas. It alters magnetic field topology and results in energy release to the plasma. Here we report the experimental results of a pure electron outflow in magnetic reconnection, which is not accompanied with ion flows. By controlling an applied magnetic field in a laser produced plasma, we have constructed an experiment that magnetizes the electrons but not the ions. This allows us to isolate the electron dynamics from the ions. Collective Thomson scattering measurements reveal the electron Alfvénic outflow without ion outflow. The resultant plasmoid and whistler waves are observed with the magnetic induction probe measurements. We observe the unique features of electron-scale magnetic reconnection simultaneously in laser produced plasmas, including global structures, local plasma parameters, magnetic field, and waves.
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Affiliation(s)
- K Sakai
- Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University, 2-1 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan. .,Institute of Laser Engineering, Osaka University, 2-6 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan.
| | - T Moritaka
- Department of Helical Plasma Research, National Institute for Fusion Science, Toki, 509-5292, Japan
| | - T Morita
- Faculty of Engineering Sciences, Kyushu University, 6-1 Kasuga-Koen, Kasuga, Fukuoka, 816-8580, Japan
| | - K Tomita
- Division of Quantum Science and Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Hokkaido University, Kita 13, Nishi 8, Kita-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido, 060-8628, Japan
| | - T Minami
- Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University, 2-1 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan.,Institute of Laser Engineering, Osaka University, 2-6 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan
| | - T Nishimoto
- Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University, 2-1 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan.,Institute of Laser Engineering, Osaka University, 2-6 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan
| | - S Egashira
- Institute of Laser Engineering, Osaka University, 2-6 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan
| | - M Ota
- Institute of Laser Engineering, Osaka University, 2-6 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan
| | - Y Sakawa
- Institute of Laser Engineering, Osaka University, 2-6 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan
| | - N Ozaki
- Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University, 2-1 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan.,Institute of Laser Engineering, Osaka University, 2-6 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan
| | - R Kodama
- Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University, 2-1 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan.,Institute of Laser Engineering, Osaka University, 2-6 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan
| | - T Kojima
- Faculty of Engineering Sciences, Kyushu University, 6-1 Kasuga-Koen, Kasuga, Fukuoka, 816-8580, Japan
| | - T Takezaki
- Faculty of Engineering, University of Toyama, 3190 Gofuku, Toyama, Toyama, 930-8555, Japan
| | - R Yamazaki
- Institute of Laser Engineering, Osaka University, 2-6 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan.,Department of Physical Sciences, Aoyama Gakuin University, 5-10-1 Fuchinobe, Sagamihara, Kanagawa, 252-5258, Japan
| | - S J Tanaka
- Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University, 2-1 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan.,Department of Physical Sciences, Aoyama Gakuin University, 5-10-1 Fuchinobe, Sagamihara, Kanagawa, 252-5258, Japan
| | - K Aihara
- Department of Physical Sciences, Aoyama Gakuin University, 5-10-1 Fuchinobe, Sagamihara, Kanagawa, 252-5258, Japan
| | - M Koenig
- LULI-CNRS, CEA, Sorbonne Universités, École Polytechnique, Institut Polytechnique de Paris, F-91120, Palaiseau cedex, France
| | - B Albertazzi
- LULI-CNRS, CEA, Sorbonne Universités, École Polytechnique, Institut Polytechnique de Paris, F-91120, Palaiseau cedex, France
| | - P Mabey
- LULI-CNRS, CEA, Sorbonne Universités, École Polytechnique, Institut Polytechnique de Paris, F-91120, Palaiseau cedex, France
| | - N Woolsey
- Department of Physics, York Plasma Institute, University of York, York, YO10 5DD, UK
| | - S Matsukiyo
- Faculty of Engineering Sciences, Kyushu University, 6-1 Kasuga-Koen, Kasuga, Fukuoka, 816-8580, Japan
| | - H Takabe
- Leung Center for Cosmology and Particle Astrophysics, National Taiwan University, Taipei, 10617, Taiwan
| | - M Hoshino
- Department of Earth and Planetary Science, University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo, Tokyo, 113-0033, Japan
| | - Y Kuramitsu
- Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University, 2-1 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan.,Institute of Laser Engineering, Osaka University, 2-6 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan
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3
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Eastwood JP, Goldman MV, Phan TD, Stawarz JE, Cassak PA, Drake JF, Newman D, Lavraud B, Shay MA, Ergun RE, Burch JL, Gershman DJ, Giles BL, Lindqvist PA, Torbert RB, Strangeway RJ, Russell CT. Energy Flux Densities near the Electron Dissipation Region in Asymmetric Magnetopause Reconnection. PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS 2020; 125:265102. [PMID: 33449730 DOI: 10.1103/physrevlett.125.265102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2019] [Revised: 10/29/2020] [Accepted: 11/24/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Magnetic reconnection is of fundamental importance to plasmas because of its role in releasing and repartitioning stored magnetic energy. Previous results suggest that this energy is predominantly released as ion enthalpy flux along the reconnection outflow. Using Magnetospheric Multiscale data we find the existence of very significant electron energy flux densities in the vicinity of the magnetopause electron dissipation region, orthogonal to the ion energy outflow. These may significantly impact models of electron transport, wave generation, and particle acceleration.
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Affiliation(s)
- J P Eastwood
- The Blackett Laboratory, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom
| | - M V Goldman
- Department of Physics, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado 80303, USA
| | - T D Phan
- Space Sciences Laboratory, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, USA
| | - J E Stawarz
- The Blackett Laboratory, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom
| | - P A Cassak
- Department of Physics and Astronomy and Center for KINETIC Plasma Physics, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia 26506, USA
| | - J F Drake
- Department of Physics/Institute for Physical Science and Technology, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20742, USA
| | - D Newman
- Department of Physics, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado 80303, USA
| | - B Lavraud
- Laboratoire d'Astrophysique de Bordeaux, Univ. Bordeaux, CNRS, B18N, allée Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, 33615 Pessac, France
- Institut de Recherche en Astrophysique et Planétologie, CNRS, CNES, Université de Toulouse, 31028 Toulouse Cedex 4, France
| | - M A Shay
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware 19716, USA
| | - R E Ergun
- LASP/Department of Astrophysical and Planetary Sciences, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado 80303, USA
| | - J L Burch
- Southwest Research Institute, San Antonio, Texas 78238, USA
| | - D J Gershman
- NASA, Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland 20771, USA
| | - B L Giles
- NASA, Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland 20771, USA
| | - P A Lindqvist
- KTH Royal Institute of Technology, SE-100 44 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - R B Torbert
- Southwest Research Institute, San Antonio, Texas 78238, USA
- University of New Hampshire, Durham, New Hampshire 03824, USA
| | - R J Strangeway
- Institute of Geophysics, Earth, Planetary, and Space Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095, USA
| | - C T Russell
- Institute of Geophysics, Earth, Planetary, and Space Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095, USA
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