Magnetic Reconnection, Turbulence, and Particle Acceleration: Observations in the Earth's Magnetotail

Robert E. Ergun; K. A. Goodrich; F. D. Wilder; N. Ahmadi; J. C. Holmes; S. Eriksson; J. E. Stawarz; R. Nakamura; K. J. Genestreti; M. Hesse; J. L. Burch; Roy B. Torbert; T. D. Phan; Steven J. Schwartz; Jonathan P. Eastwood; Robert J. Strangeway; O. Le Contel; Christopher T. Russell; M. R. Argall; Per-Arne Lindqvist; L. J. Chen; P. A. Cassak; Barbara L. Giles; John C. Dorelli; D. Gershman; T. W. Leonard; B. Lavraud; A. Retino; W. Matthaeus; A. Vaivads

doi:10.1002/2018GL076993

Magnetic Reconnection, Turbulence, and Particle Acceleration: Observations in the Earth's Magnetotail

Robert E. Ergun^*, K. A. Goodrich, F. D. Wilder, N. Ahmadi, J. C. Holmes, S. Eriksson, J. E. Stawarz, R. Nakamura, K. J. Genestreti, M. Hesse, J. L. Burch, Roy B. Torbert, T. D. Phan, Steven J. Schwartz, Jonathan P. Eastwood, Robert J. Strangeway, O. Le Contel, Christopher T. Russell, M. R. Argall, Per-Arne LindqvistL. J. Chen, P. A. Cassak, Barbara L. Giles, John C. Dorelli, D. Gershman, T. W. Leonard, B. Lavraud, A. Retino, W. Matthaeus, A. Vaivads

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

88 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

We report observations of turbulent dissipation and particle acceleration from large-amplitude electric fields (E) associated with strong magnetic field (B) fluctuations in the Earth's plasma sheet. The turbulence occurs in a region of depleted density with anti-earthward flows followed by earthward flows suggesting ongoing magnetic reconnection. In the turbulent region, ions and electrons have a significant increase in energy, occasionally >100 keV, and strong variation. There are numerous occurrences of |E| >100 mV/m including occurrences of large potentials (>1 kV) parallel to B and occurrences with extraordinarily large J · E (J is current density). In this event, we find that the perpendicular contribution of J · E with frequencies near or below the ion cyclotron frequency (fci) provide the majority net positive J · E. Large-amplitude parallel E events with frequencies above fci to several times the lower hybrid frequency provide significant dissipation and can result in energetic electron acceleration.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	3338-3347
Number of pages	10
Journal	Geophysical Research Letters
Volume	45
Issue number	8
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1002/2018GL076993
Publication status	Published - 2018
Externally published	Yes

Access to Document

10.1002/2018GL076993

Cite this

Ergun, R. E., Goodrich, K. A., Wilder, F. D., Ahmadi, N., Holmes, J. C., Eriksson, S., Stawarz, J. E., Nakamura, R., Genestreti, K. J., Hesse, M., Burch, J. L., Torbert, R. B., Phan, T. D., Schwartz, S. J., Eastwood, J. P., Strangeway, R. J., Le Contel, O., Russell, C. T., Argall, M. R., ... Vaivads, A. (2018). Magnetic Reconnection, Turbulence, and Particle Acceleration: Observations in the Earth's Magnetotail. Geophysical Research Letters, 45(8), 3338-3347. https://doi.org/10.1002/2018GL076993

@article{122a7717d0a94ec7824299ab70d68b1f,

title = "Magnetic Reconnection, Turbulence, and Particle Acceleration: Observations in the Earth's Magnetotail",

abstract = "We report observations of turbulent dissipation and particle acceleration from large-amplitude electric fields (E) associated with strong magnetic field (B) fluctuations in the Earth's plasma sheet. The turbulence occurs in a region of depleted density with anti-earthward flows followed by earthward flows suggesting ongoing magnetic reconnection. In the turbulent region, ions and electrons have a significant increase in energy, occasionally >100 keV, and strong variation. There are numerous occurrences of |E| >100 mV/m including occurrences of large potentials (>1 kV) parallel to B and occurrences with extraordinarily large J · E (J is current density). In this event, we find that the perpendicular contribution of J · E with frequencies near or below the ion cyclotron frequency (fci) provide the majority net positive J · E. Large-amplitude parallel E events with frequencies above fci to several times the lower hybrid frequency provide significant dissipation and can result in energetic electron acceleration.",

author = "Ergun, {Robert E.} and Goodrich, {K. A.} and Wilder, {F. D.} and N. Ahmadi and Holmes, {J. C.} and S. Eriksson and Stawarz, {J. E.} and R. Nakamura and Genestreti, {K. J.} and M. Hesse and Burch, {J. L.} and Torbert, {Roy B.} and Phan, {T. D.} and Schwartz, {Steven J.} and Eastwood, {Jonathan P.} and Strangeway, {Robert J.} and {Le Contel}, O. and Russell, {Christopher T.} and Argall, {M. R.} and Per-Arne Lindqvist and Chen, {L. J.} and Cassak, {P. A.} and Giles, {Barbara L.} and Dorelli, {John C.} and D. Gershman and Leonard, {T. W.} and B. Lavraud and A. Retino and W. Matthaeus and A. Vaivads",

year = "2018",

doi = "10.1002/2018GL076993",

language = "English",

volume = "45",

pages = "3338--3347",

journal = "Geophysical Research Letters",

issn = "0094-8276",

publisher = "Blackwell Publishing",

number = "8",

}

Ergun, RE, Goodrich, KA, Wilder, FD, Ahmadi, N, Holmes, JC, Eriksson, S, Stawarz, JE, Nakamura, R, Genestreti, KJ, Hesse, M, Burch, JL, Torbert, RB, Phan, TD, Schwartz, SJ, Eastwood, JP, Strangeway, RJ, Le Contel, O, Russell, CT, Argall, MR, Lindqvist, P-A, Chen, LJ, Cassak, PA, Giles, BL, Dorelli, JC, Gershman, D, Leonard, TW, Lavraud, B, Retino, A, Matthaeus, W & Vaivads, A 2018, 'Magnetic Reconnection, Turbulence, and Particle Acceleration: Observations in the Earth's Magnetotail', Geophysical Research Letters, vol. 45, no. 8, pp. 3338-3347. https://doi.org/10.1002/2018GL076993

TY - JOUR

T1 - Magnetic Reconnection, Turbulence, and Particle Acceleration: Observations in the Earth's Magnetotail

AU - Ergun, Robert E.

AU - Goodrich, K. A.

AU - Wilder, F. D.

AU - Ahmadi, N.

AU - Holmes, J. C.

AU - Eriksson, S.

AU - Stawarz, J. E.

AU - Nakamura, R.

AU - Genestreti, K. J.

AU - Hesse, M.

AU - Burch, J. L.

AU - Torbert, Roy B.

AU - Phan, T. D.

AU - Schwartz, Steven J.

AU - Eastwood, Jonathan P.

AU - Strangeway, Robert J.

AU - Le Contel, O.

AU - Russell, Christopher T.

AU - Argall, M. R.

AU - Lindqvist, Per-Arne

AU - Chen, L. J.

AU - Cassak, P. A.

AU - Giles, Barbara L.

AU - Dorelli, John C.

AU - Gershman, D.

AU - Leonard, T. W.

AU - Lavraud, B.

AU - Retino, A.

AU - Matthaeus, W.

AU - Vaivads, A.

PY - 2018

Y1 - 2018

N2 - We report observations of turbulent dissipation and particle acceleration from large-amplitude electric fields (E) associated with strong magnetic field (B) fluctuations in the Earth's plasma sheet. The turbulence occurs in a region of depleted density with anti-earthward flows followed by earthward flows suggesting ongoing magnetic reconnection. In the turbulent region, ions and electrons have a significant increase in energy, occasionally >100 keV, and strong variation. There are numerous occurrences of |E| >100 mV/m including occurrences of large potentials (>1 kV) parallel to B and occurrences with extraordinarily large J · E (J is current density). In this event, we find that the perpendicular contribution of J · E with frequencies near or below the ion cyclotron frequency (fci) provide the majority net positive J · E. Large-amplitude parallel E events with frequencies above fci to several times the lower hybrid frequency provide significant dissipation and can result in energetic electron acceleration.

AB - We report observations of turbulent dissipation and particle acceleration from large-amplitude electric fields (E) associated with strong magnetic field (B) fluctuations in the Earth's plasma sheet. The turbulence occurs in a region of depleted density with anti-earthward flows followed by earthward flows suggesting ongoing magnetic reconnection. In the turbulent region, ions and electrons have a significant increase in energy, occasionally >100 keV, and strong variation. There are numerous occurrences of |E| >100 mV/m including occurrences of large potentials (>1 kV) parallel to B and occurrences with extraordinarily large J · E (J is current density). In this event, we find that the perpendicular contribution of J · E with frequencies near or below the ion cyclotron frequency (fci) provide the majority net positive J · E. Large-amplitude parallel E events with frequencies above fci to several times the lower hybrid frequency provide significant dissipation and can result in energetic electron acceleration.

UR - http://gateway.webofknowledge.com/gateway/Gateway.cgi?GWVersion=2&SrcAuth=ORCID&SrcApp=OrcidOrg&DestLinkType=FullRecord&DestApp=WOS_CPL&KeyUT=WOS:000435745500004&KeyUID=WOS:000435745500004

U2 - 10.1002/2018GL076993

DO - 10.1002/2018GL076993

M3 - Article

SN - 0094-8276

VL - 45

SP - 3338

EP - 3347

JO - Geophysical Research Letters

JF - Geophysical Research Letters

IS - 8

ER -

Magnetic Reconnection, Turbulence, and Particle Acceleration: Observations in the Earth's Magnetotail

Abstract

Access to Document

Other files and links

Cite this