Magnetic reconnection provides a physical mechanism for fast energy conversion from magnetic energy to plasma kinetic energy. It is closely associated with many explosive phenomena in space plasma, usually collisionle...Magnetic reconnection provides a physical mechanism for fast energy conversion from magnetic energy to plasma kinetic energy. It is closely associated with many explosive phenomena in space plasma, usually collisionless in character. For this reason, researchers have become more interested in collisionless magnetic reconnection. In this paper, the various roles of electron dynamics in collisionless magnetic reconnection are reviewed. First, at the ion inertial length scale, ions and electrons are decoupled. The resulting Hall effect determines the reconnection electric field. Moreover, electron motions determine the current system inside the reconnection plane and the electron density cavity along the separatrices. The current system in this plane produces an out-of-plane magnetic field. Second, at the electron inertial length scale, the anisotropy of electron pressure determines the magnitude of the reconnection electric field in this region. The production of energetic electrons, which is an important characteristic during magnetic reconnection, is accelerated by the reconnection electric field. In addition, the different topologies, temporal evolution and spatial distribution of the magnetic field affect the accelerating process of electrons and determine the final energy of the accelerated electrons. Third, we discuss results from simulations and spacecraft observations on the secondary magnetic islands produced due to secondary instabilities around the X point, and the associated energetic electrons. Furthermore, progress in laboratory plasma studies is also discussed in regard to electron dynamics during magnetic reconnection. Finally, some unresolved problems are presented.展开更多
Two-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations are performed to investigate the formation of electron density depletions in collisionless magnetic reconnection.In anti-parallel reconnection,the quadrupole structures of ...Two-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations are performed to investigate the formation of electron density depletions in collisionless magnetic reconnection.In anti-parallel reconnection,the quadrupole structures of the out-of-plane magnetic field are formed,and four symmetric electron density depletion layers can be found along the separatrices due to the effects of magetic mirror.With the increase of the initial guide field,the symmetry of both the out-of-plane magnetic field and electron density depletion layers is distorted.When the initial guide field is sufficiently large,the electron density depletion layers along the lower left and upper right separatrices disappear.The parallel electric field in guide field reconnection is found to play an important role in forming such structures of the electron density depletion layers.The structures of the out-of-plane magnetic field By and electron depletion layers in anti-parallel and guide field reconnection are found to be related to electron flow or in-plane currents in the separatrix regions.In anti-parallel reconnection,electrons flow towards the X line along the separatrices,and are directed away from the X line along the magnetic field lines just inside the separatrices.In guide field reconnection,electrons can only flow towards the X line along the upper left and lower right separatrices due to the existence of the parallel electric field in these regions.展开更多
In collisionless reconnection,the magnetic field near the separatrix is stronger than that around the X-line,so an electron-beam can be formed and flows toward the X-line,which leads to a decrease of the electron dens...In collisionless reconnection,the magnetic field near the separatrix is stronger than that around the X-line,so an electron-beam can be formed and flows toward the X-line,which leads to a decrease of the electron density near the separatrix.Having been accelerated around the X-line,the electrons flow out along the magnetic field lines in the inner side of the separatrix.A quadruple structure of the Hall magnetic field By is formed by such a current system.A 2D particle-in-cell (PIC) simulation code is used in this paper to study the collisionless magnetic reconnection without an initial guide field.The current system described above is proved by the simulations.Furthermore,the position of the peak of the Hall magnetic field By is found to be between the separatrix and the center of the current sheet,which is verified by Cluster observations.展开更多
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (40725013, 40974081 and 40931053)the Chinese Academy of Sciences (KJCX2-YW-N28)the Ocean Public Welfare Scientific Research Project, State Oceanic Administration of China (201005017)
文摘Magnetic reconnection provides a physical mechanism for fast energy conversion from magnetic energy to plasma kinetic energy. It is closely associated with many explosive phenomena in space plasma, usually collisionless in character. For this reason, researchers have become more interested in collisionless magnetic reconnection. In this paper, the various roles of electron dynamics in collisionless magnetic reconnection are reviewed. First, at the ion inertial length scale, ions and electrons are decoupled. The resulting Hall effect determines the reconnection electric field. Moreover, electron motions determine the current system inside the reconnection plane and the electron density cavity along the separatrices. The current system in this plane produces an out-of-plane magnetic field. Second, at the electron inertial length scale, the anisotropy of electron pressure determines the magnitude of the reconnection electric field in this region. The production of energetic electrons, which is an important characteristic during magnetic reconnection, is accelerated by the reconnection electric field. In addition, the different topologies, temporal evolution and spatial distribution of the magnetic field affect the accelerating process of electrons and determine the final energy of the accelerated electrons. Third, we discuss results from simulations and spacecraft observations on the secondary magnetic islands produced due to secondary instabilities around the X point, and the associated energetic electrons. Furthermore, progress in laboratory plasma studies is also discussed in regard to electron dynamics during magnetic reconnection. Finally, some unresolved problems are presented.
基金supported by the Chinese Academy of Sciences (KJCX2-YW-N28)the National Natural Science Foundation of China (40725013,40974081 and 40931053)+1 种基金the Specialized Research Fund for State Key Laboratoriesthe Fundamental Researd Funds for the Central Universities (WK20800000010)
文摘Two-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations are performed to investigate the formation of electron density depletions in collisionless magnetic reconnection.In anti-parallel reconnection,the quadrupole structures of the out-of-plane magnetic field are formed,and four symmetric electron density depletion layers can be found along the separatrices due to the effects of magetic mirror.With the increase of the initial guide field,the symmetry of both the out-of-plane magnetic field and electron density depletion layers is distorted.When the initial guide field is sufficiently large,the electron density depletion layers along the lower left and upper right separatrices disappear.The parallel electric field in guide field reconnection is found to play an important role in forming such structures of the electron density depletion layers.The structures of the out-of-plane magnetic field By and electron depletion layers in anti-parallel and guide field reconnection are found to be related to electron flow or in-plane currents in the separatrix regions.In anti-parallel reconnection,electrons flow towards the X line along the separatrices,and are directed away from the X line along the magnetic field lines just inside the separatrices.In guide field reconnection,electrons can only flow towards the X line along the upper left and lower right separatrices due to the existence of the parallel electric field in these regions.
基金supported by the Knowledge Innovation Project of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Grant No.KJCX2-YW-N28)National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos.40674093,40725013 and 40874075)Specialized Research Fund for State Key Laboratories
文摘In collisionless reconnection,the magnetic field near the separatrix is stronger than that around the X-line,so an electron-beam can be formed and flows toward the X-line,which leads to a decrease of the electron density near the separatrix.Having been accelerated around the X-line,the electrons flow out along the magnetic field lines in the inner side of the separatrix.A quadruple structure of the Hall magnetic field By is formed by such a current system.A 2D particle-in-cell (PIC) simulation code is used in this paper to study the collisionless magnetic reconnection without an initial guide field.The current system described above is proved by the simulations.Furthermore,the position of the peak of the Hall magnetic field By is found to be between the separatrix and the center of the current sheet,which is verified by Cluster observations.
