The Dependence of Poynting Flux and Ion Heating on the Presence of O+ Ions in Dayside and Tail Reconnection

We study the impact of O+ ions on the outflowing Poynting flux and the ion heating from dayside and magnetotail reconnection events observed by Cluster and MMS. It has been established that heavy ions alter the process of reconnection, but the details remain uncertain. Simulations demonstrate that O+ ions reduce the reconnection rate, but observations indicate that O+ may also increase the reconnection rate. Case studies have also demonstrated that O+ rather than H+ can occasionally carry away a significant or dominant portion of the outflowing energy during reconnection events. In order to better understand the impact of heavy ions on the reconnection process, we examine the Poynting flux released during tail and dayside reconnection during events with and without the presence of significant O+ ions. We additionally filter the Poynting flux into separate frequency bands to determine if the structures carrying the Poynting flux differ based on the presence of heavy ions. Finally, we compare the inflowing energy to the change in ion temperature in the reconnection exhaust to determine if O+ ions significantly alter the energy carried away by H+ ions.