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Observation of Nongyrotropic Electron Distribution Across the Electron Diffusion Region in the Magnetotail Reconnection
Author(s) -
Li Xinmin,
Wang Rongsheng,
Lu Quanming,
Hwang KyoungJoo,
Zong Qiugang,
Russell Christopher T.,
Wang Shui
Publication year - 2019
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 - 10.1029/2019gl085014
Subject(s) - electron , physics , diffusion , electric field , range (aeronautics) , computational physics , magnetic reconnection , distribution (mathematics) , magnetic field , field (mathematics) , geophysics , atomic physics , materials science , mathematical analysis , mathematics , quantum mechanics , composite material , thermodynamics , pure mathematics
Using measurements by the Magnetospheric Multiscale spacecraft in the magnetotail, we studied electron distribution functions across an electron diffusion region. The dependence of the nongyrotropic distribution on the energy and vertical distance from the electron diffusion region midplane was revealed for the first time. The nongyrotropic distribution was observed everywhere except for an extremely narrow layer right at the electron diffusion region midplane. The energy of the nongyrotropic distribution increased with growth of the vertical distance from the midplane. For the electrons within certain energy range, they exhibited the nongyrotropic distribution at the distance further away from the midplane than that expected from the meandering motion. The correlation between the crescent‐shaped distribution with multiple stripes and the large Hall electric field was established. It appears that the measured nongyrotropic distribution and the crescent‐shaped distribution were caused by the meandering motion and the Hall electric field together.