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- Title
Electron Energization at a Reconnecting Magnetosheath Current Sheet.
- Authors
Eriksson, Elin; Vaivads, Andris; Graham, Daniel B.; Divin, Andrey; Khotyaintsev, Yuri V.; Yordanova, Emiliya; André, Mats; Giles, Barbara L.; Pollock, Craig J.; Russell, Christopher T.; Contel, Olivier Le; Torbert, Roy B.; Ergun, Robert E.; Lindqvist, Per‐Arne; Burch, James L.
- Abstract
Abstract: We present observations of electron energization within a sub‐ion‐scale magnetosheath current sheet (CS). A number of signatures indicate ongoing reconnection, including the thickness of the CS (∼0.7 ion inertial length), nonzero normal magnetic field, Hall magnetic fields with electrons carrying the Hall currents, and electron heating. We observe localized electron acceleration and heating parallel to the magnetic field at the edges of the CS. Electrostatic waves observed in these regions have low phase velocity and small wave potentials and thus cannot provide the observed acceleration and heating. Instead, we find that the electrons are accelerated by a parallel potential within the separatrix regions. Similar acceleration has been reported based on magnetopause and magnetotail observations. Thus, despite the different plasma conditions in magnetosheath, magnetopause, and magnetotail, the acceleration mechanism and corresponding heating of electrons is similar.
- Subjects
ELECTRONS; CURRENT sheets; MAGNETOHYDRODYNAMICS; MAGNETIC fields; PLASMA electrostatic waves
- Publication
Geophysical Research Letters, 2018, Vol 45, Issue 16, p8081
- ISSN
0094-8276
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1029/2018GL078660