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Cluster Observations of Energetic Electron Acceleration Within Earthward Reconnection Jet and Associated Magnetic Flux Rope
Author(s) -
Vaivads A.,
Khotyaintsev Yu. V.,
Retinò A.,
Fu H. S.,
Kronberg E. A.,
Daly P. W.
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
journal of geophysical research: space physics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2169-9402
pISSN - 2169-9380
DOI - 10.1029/2021ja029545
Subject(s) - physics , magnetic reconnection , acceleration , electron , fermi acceleration , plasmoid , jet (fluid) , flux (metallurgy) , rope , betatron , computational physics , magnetic field , plasma , particle acceleration , magnetic flux , atomic physics , mechanics , classical mechanics , nuclear physics , materials science , structural engineering , quantum mechanics , metallurgy , engineering
We study acceleration of energetic electrons in an earthward plasma jet due to magnetic reconnection in the Earth magnetotail for one case observed by Cluster. The case has been selected based on the presence of high fluxes of energetic electrons, Cluster being in the burst mode and Cluster separation being around 1,000 km that is optimal for studies of ion scale physics. We show that two characteristic acceleration mechanisms are operating during this event. First, significant acceleration is achieved inside the magnetic flux pile‐up of the jet, the acceleration mechanism being consistent with betatron acceleration. Second, strong energetic electron acceleration occurs in magnetic flux rope like structure forming in front of the magnetic flux pile‐up region. Energetic electrons inside the magnetic flux rope are accelerated predominantly in the field‐aligned direction and the acceleration can be due to Fermi acceleration in a contracting flux rope.