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Register a new userMMS observation of asymmetric reconnection supported by 3-D electron pressure divergence
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We identify a dayside electron diffusion region (EDR) encountered by the Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) mission and estimate the terms in generalized Ohms law that controlled energy conversion near the X-point. MMS crossed the moderate-shear (130 degrees) magnetopause southward of the exact X-point. MMS likely entered the magnetopause far from the X-point, outside the EDR, as the size of the reconnection layer was less than but comparable to the magnetosheath proton gyro-radius, and also as anisotropic gyrotropic outflow crescent electron distributions were observed. MMS then approached the X-point, where all four spacecraft simultaneously observed signatures of the EDR, e.g., an intense out-of-plane electron current, moderate electron agyrotropy, intense electron anisotropy, non-ideal electric fields, non-ideal energy conversion, etc. We find that the electric field associated with the non-ideal energy conversion is (a) well described by the sum of the electron inertial and pressure divergence terms in generalized Ohms law though (b) the pressure divergence term dominates the inertial term by roughly a factor of 5:1, (c) both the gyrotropic and agyrotropic pressure forces contribute to energy conversion at the X-point, and (d) both out-of-the-reconnection-plane gradients (d/dM) and in-plane (d/dL,N) in the pressure tensor contribute to energy conversion near the X-point. This indicates that this EDR had some electron-scale structure in the out-of-plane direction during the time when (and at the location where) the reconnection site was observed.
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We investigate the time dependence of electromagnetic-field-to-plasma energy conversion in the electron diffusion region of asymmetric magnetic reconnection. To do so, we consider the terms in Poyntings theorem. In a steady state there is a perfect balance between the divergence of the electromagnetic energy flux $ abla cdot vec{S}$ and the conversion between electromagnetic field and particle energy $vec{J} cdot vec{E}$. This energy balance is demonstrated with a particle-in-cell simulation of reconnection. We also evaluate each of the terms in Poyntings theorem during an observation of a magnetopause reconnection region by Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS). We take the equivalence of both sides of Poyntings theorem as an indication that the errors associated with the approximation of each term with MMS data are small. We find that, for this event, balance between $vec{J}cdotvec{E}=- ablacdotvec{S}$ is only achieved for a small fraction of the energy conversion region at/near the X-point. Magnetic energy was rapidly accumulating on either side of the current sheet at roughly three times the predicted energy conversion rate. Furthermore, we find that while $vec{J}cdotvec{E}>0$ and $ ablacdotvec{S}<0$ are observed, as is expected for reconnection, the energy accumulation is driven by the overcompensation for $vec{J}cdotvec{E}$ by $- ablacdotvec{S}>vec{J}cdotvec{E}$. We note that due to the assumptions necessary to do this calculation, the accurate evaluation of $ ablacdotvec{S}$ may not be possible for every MMS-observed reconnection event; but if possible, this is a simple approach to determine if reconnection is or is not in a steady-state.
A new look at the structure of the electron diffusion region in collisionless magnetic reconnection is presented. The research is based on a particle-in-cell simulation of asymmetric magnetic reconnection, which include a temperature gradient across the current layer in addition to density and magnetic field gradient. We find that none of X-point, flow stagnation point, and local current density peak coincide. Current and energy balance analyses around the flow stagnation point and current density peak show consistently that current dissipation is associated with the divergence of nongyrotropic electron pressure. Furthermore, the same pressure terms, when combined with shear-type gradients of the electron flow velocity, also serve to maintain local thermal energy against convective losses. These effects are similar to those found also in symmetric magnetic reconnection. In addition, we find here significant effects related to the convection of current, which we can relate to a generalized diamagnetic drift by the nongyrotropic pressure divergence. Therefore, only part of the pressure force serves to dissipate the current density. However, the prior conclusion that the role of the reconnection electric field is to maintain the current density, which was obtained for a symmetric system, applies here as well. Finally, we discuss related features of electron distribution function in the EDR.
A great possible achievement for the MMS mission would be crossing electron diffusion regions (EDR). EDR are regions in proximity of reconnection sites where electrons decouple from field lines, breaking the frozen in condition. Decades of research on reconnection have produced a widely shared map of where EDRs are. We expect reconnection to take place around a so called x-point formed by the intersection of the separatrices dividing inflowing from outflowing plasma. The EDR forms around this x-point as a small electron scale box nested inside a larger ion diffusion region. But this point of view is based on a 2D mentality. We have recently proposed that once the problem is considered in full 3D, secondary reconnection events can form [Lapenta et al., Nature Physics, 11, 690, 2015] in the outflow regions even far downstream from the primary reconnection site. We revisit here this new idea confirming that even using additional indicators of reconnection and even considering longer periods and wider distances the conclusion remains true: secondary reconnection sites form downstream of a reconnection outflow causing a sort of chain reaction of cascading reconnection sites. If we are right, MMS will have an interesting journey even when not crossing necessarily the primary site. The chances are greatly increased that even if missing a primary site during an orbit, MMS could stumble instead on one of these secondary sites.
The orientation and stability of the reconnection x-line in asymmetric geometry is studied using three-dimensional (3D) particle-in-cell simulations. We initiate reconnection at the center of a large simulation domain to minimize the boundary effect. The resulting x-line has sufficient freedom to develop along an optimal orientation, and it remains laminar. Companion 2D simulations indicate that this x-line orientation maximizes the reconnection rate. The divergence of the non-gyrotropic pressure tensor breaks the frozen-in condition, consistent with its 2D counterpart. We then design 3D simulations with one dimension being short to fix the x-line orientation, but long enough to allow the growth of the fastest growing oblique tearing modes. This numerical experiment suggests that reconnection tends to radiate secondary oblique tearing modes if it is externally (globally) forced to proceed along an orientation not favored by the local physics. The development of oblique structure easily leads to turbulence inside small periodic systems.
We report electrostatic Debye-scale turbulence developing within the diffusion region of asymmetric magnetopause reconnection with moderate guide field using observations by the Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) mission. We show that Buneman waves and beam modes cause efficient and fast thermalization of the reconnection electron jet by irreversible phase mixing, during which the jet kinetic energy is transferred into thermal energy. Our results show that the reconnection diffusion region in the presence of a moderate guide field is highly turbulent, and that electrostatic turbulence plays an important role in electron heating.
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