Interpretation of Particle Acceleration in a Simulation Study of Collisionless Reconnection
Abstract
A recent simulation study (Horiuchi and Sato, Physics of Plasmas, 4, 277-289, 1997) investigated collisionless magnetic reconnection in a sheared magnetic field. Existing theoretical models for particle acceleration in current sheets are used to interpret some of the simulation results. It is shown how the character of particle trajectories changes as a function of the longitudinal magnetic field. The numerical results are found to be consistent with predicted analytical expressions for values of the electron energy gain, the acceleration time, and the longitudinal field giving rise to adiabatic particle motion. The agreement justifies the use of the current sheet model for explanation of electron acceleration in solar flares. The simulation also identified an ion acceleration mechanism that will require additional theoretical study.
- Publication:
-
AAS/Solar Physics Division Meeting #28
- Pub Date:
- May 1997
- Bibcode:
- 1997SPD....28.1901L