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Debye‐length scaled structure of perpendicular electric field in collisionless magnetic reconnection
Author(s) -
Huang J.,
Ma Z. W.,
Li D.
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1029/2008gl033751
Subject(s) - physics , magnetic reconnection , electric field , debye length , electron , electron density , quadrupole , magnetic field , current sheet , condensed matter physics , current density , dipole , magnetic dipole , atomic physics , magnetohydrodynamics , quantum mechanics
Generation of electric fields at the scale of the local electron Debye length in collisionless magnetic reconnection is studied through two‐dimensional Darwin particle‐in‐cell simulation. For asymmetric initial temperature and density profile across the Harris current sheet, intense perpendicular electrostatic structure with the local electron Debye‐length scaling (∼2.9 λ De ) is observed near the edge of the magnetic island in the high‐temperature/low‐density region. It is also found that a weak electron jet with return electron flow on the high‐density side results in the formation of an electron current loop. However, in the low density region only a strong electron outflow is detected. Because of a single‐looped electric current on each side of the outflow region, the usual quadrupole structure appearing in the earlier symmetric‐profile simulations is replaced by a dipole‐like structure of the guiding magnetic field. Possible applications of the present results in the dayside magnetopause are discussed.