Energy conversion by parallel electric fields in reconnection diffusion regions in scaled laboratory and space experiments
Abstract
We present direct and scaled comparisons between space and laboratory observations of magnetic reconnection by the Magnetospheric Multiscale Mission (MMS) and the Magnetic Reconnection eXperiment (MRX), focusing on magnetic reconnection with a guide field. While MMS observations allow high-resolution and fully-kinetic data to be obtained, MRX observations cover the full 2-D reconnection plane near the current sheet, removing uncertainties in situating the measurements compared to the reconnection region. Through scaling transformations, we show a quantitative agreement in magnetic field and current density profiles. The introduction of the guide field causes the energy conversion JṡE in the current sheet to be dominated by J||E|| in both cases. However, parallel electric fields reported by recent spacecraft crossings are significantly larger than values obtained on MRX, highlighting an important issue for understanding energy conversion by reconnection.
- Publication:
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AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- December 2018
- Bibcode:
- 2018AGUFMSM13B2866F
- Keywords:
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- 2723 Magnetic reconnection;
- MAGNETOSPHERIC PHYSICSDE: 2724 Magnetopause and boundary layers;
- MAGNETOSPHERIC PHYSICSDE: 2728 Magnetosheath;
- MAGNETOSPHERIC PHYSICSDE: 2784 Solar wind/magnetosphere interactions;
- MAGNETOSPHERIC PHYSICS