Properties of the Turbulence Associated with Electron-only Magnetic Reconnection in Earth’s Magnetosheath

J. E. Stawarz; Jonathan P. Eastwood; T. D. Phan; I. L. Gingell; M. A. Shay; J. L. Burch; Robert E. Ergun; Barbara L. Giles; D. J. Gershman; O. Le Contel; P.-A. Lindqvist; Christopher T. Russell; R. J. Strangeway; R. B. Torbert; M. R. Argall; D. Fischer; W. Magnes; Luca Franci

doi:10.3847/2041-8213/ab21c8

Properties of the Turbulence Associated with Electron-only Magnetic Reconnection in Earth’s Magnetosheath

J. E. Stawarz^*, Jonathan P. Eastwood, T. D. Phan, I. L. Gingell, M. A. Shay, J. L. Burch, Robert E. Ergun, Barbara L. Giles, D. J. Gershman, O. Le Contel, P.-A. Lindqvist, Christopher T. Russell, R. J. Strangeway, R. B. Torbert, M. R. Argall, D. Fischer, W. Magnes, Luca Franci

^*Corresponding author for this work

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

102 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Turbulent plasmas generate intense current structures, which have long been suggested as magnetic reconnection sites. Recent Magnetospheric Multiscale observations in Earth's magnetosheath revealed a novel form of reconnection where the dynamics only couple to electrons, without ion involvement. It was suggested that such dynamics were driven by magnetosheath turbulence. In this study, the fluctuations are examined to determine the properties of the turbulence and if a signature of reconnection is present in the turbulence statistics. The study reveals statistical properties consistent with plasma turbulence with a correlation length of ∼10 ion inertial lengths. When reconnection is more prevalent, a steepening of the magnetic spectrum occurs at the length scale of the reconnecting current sheets. The statistics of intense currents suggest the prevalence of electron-scale current sheets favorable for electron reconnection. The results support the hypothesis that electron reconnection is driven by turbulence and highlight diagnostics that may provide insight into reconnection in other turbulent plasmas.

Original language	English
Article number	L37
Number of pages	7
Journal	Astrophysical Journal Letters
Volume	877
Issue number	2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213/ab21c8
Publication status	Published - 4 Jun 2019
Externally published	Yes

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10.3847/2041-8213/ab21c8

Cite this

Stawarz, J. E., Eastwood, J. P., Phan, T. D., Gingell, I. L., Shay, M. A., Burch, J. L., Ergun, R. E., Giles, B. L., Gershman, D. J., Contel, O. L., Lindqvist, P.-A., Russell, C. T., Strangeway, R. J., Torbert, R. B., Argall, M. R., Fischer, D., Magnes, W., & Franci, L. (2019). Properties of the Turbulence Associated with Electron-only Magnetic Reconnection in Earth’s Magnetosheath. Astrophysical Journal Letters, 877(2), Article L37. https://doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213/ab21c8

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title = "Properties of the Turbulence Associated with Electron-only Magnetic Reconnection in Earth{\textquoteright}s Magnetosheath",

abstract = "Turbulent plasmas generate intense current structures, which have long been suggested as magnetic reconnection sites. Recent Magnetospheric Multiscale observations in Earth's magnetosheath revealed a novel form of reconnection where the dynamics only couple to electrons, without ion involvement. It was suggested that such dynamics were driven by magnetosheath turbulence. In this study, the fluctuations are examined to determine the properties of the turbulence and if a signature of reconnection is present in the turbulence statistics. The study reveals statistical properties consistent with plasma turbulence with a correlation length of ∼10 ion inertial lengths. When reconnection is more prevalent, a steepening of the magnetic spectrum occurs at the length scale of the reconnecting current sheets. The statistics of intense currents suggest the prevalence of electron-scale current sheets favorable for electron reconnection. The results support the hypothesis that electron reconnection is driven by turbulence and highlight diagnostics that may provide insight into reconnection in other turbulent plasmas.",

author = "Stawarz, {J. E.} and Eastwood, {Jonathan P.} and Phan, {T. D.} and Gingell, {I. L.} and Shay, {M. A.} and Burch, {J. L.} and Ergun, {Robert E.} and Giles, {Barbara L.} and Gershman, {D. J.} and Contel, {O. Le} and P.-A. Lindqvist and Russell, {Christopher T.} and Strangeway, {R. J.} and Torbert, {R. B.} and Argall, {M. R.} and D. Fischer and W. Magnes and Luca Franci",

year = "2019",

month = jun,

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doi = "10.3847/2041-8213/ab21c8",

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Stawarz, JE, Eastwood, JP, Phan, TD, Gingell, IL, Shay, MA, Burch, JL, Ergun, RE, Giles, BL, Gershman, DJ, Contel, OL, Lindqvist, P-A, Russell, CT, Strangeway, RJ, Torbert, RB, Argall, MR, Fischer, D, Magnes, W & Franci, L 2019, 'Properties of the Turbulence Associated with Electron-only Magnetic Reconnection in Earth’s Magnetosheath', Astrophysical Journal Letters, vol. 877, no. 2, L37. https://doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213/ab21c8

TY - JOUR

T1 - Properties of the Turbulence Associated with Electron-only Magnetic Reconnection in Earth’s Magnetosheath

AU - Stawarz, J. E.

AU - Eastwood, Jonathan P.

AU - Phan, T. D.

AU - Gingell, I. L.

AU - Shay, M. A.

AU - Burch, J. L.

AU - Ergun, Robert E.

AU - Giles, Barbara L.

AU - Gershman, D. J.

AU - Contel, O. Le

AU - Lindqvist, P.-A.

AU - Russell, Christopher T.

AU - Strangeway, R. J.

AU - Torbert, R. B.

AU - Argall, M. R.

AU - Fischer, D.

AU - Magnes, W.

AU - Franci, Luca

PY - 2019/6/4

Y1 - 2019/6/4

N2 - Turbulent plasmas generate intense current structures, which have long been suggested as magnetic reconnection sites. Recent Magnetospheric Multiscale observations in Earth's magnetosheath revealed a novel form of reconnection where the dynamics only couple to electrons, without ion involvement. It was suggested that such dynamics were driven by magnetosheath turbulence. In this study, the fluctuations are examined to determine the properties of the turbulence and if a signature of reconnection is present in the turbulence statistics. The study reveals statistical properties consistent with plasma turbulence with a correlation length of ∼10 ion inertial lengths. When reconnection is more prevalent, a steepening of the magnetic spectrum occurs at the length scale of the reconnecting current sheets. The statistics of intense currents suggest the prevalence of electron-scale current sheets favorable for electron reconnection. The results support the hypothesis that electron reconnection is driven by turbulence and highlight diagnostics that may provide insight into reconnection in other turbulent plasmas.

AB - Turbulent plasmas generate intense current structures, which have long been suggested as magnetic reconnection sites. Recent Magnetospheric Multiscale observations in Earth's magnetosheath revealed a novel form of reconnection where the dynamics only couple to electrons, without ion involvement. It was suggested that such dynamics were driven by magnetosheath turbulence. In this study, the fluctuations are examined to determine the properties of the turbulence and if a signature of reconnection is present in the turbulence statistics. The study reveals statistical properties consistent with plasma turbulence with a correlation length of ∼10 ion inertial lengths. When reconnection is more prevalent, a steepening of the magnetic spectrum occurs at the length scale of the reconnecting current sheets. The statistics of intense currents suggest the prevalence of electron-scale current sheets favorable for electron reconnection. The results support the hypothesis that electron reconnection is driven by turbulence and highlight diagnostics that may provide insight into reconnection in other turbulent plasmas.

U2 - 10.3847/2041-8213/ab21c8

DO - 10.3847/2041-8213/ab21c8

M3 - Article

SN - 2041-8205

VL - 877

JO - Astrophysical Journal Letters

JF - Astrophysical Journal Letters

IS - 2

M1 - L37

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