Intermittent Dissipation at Kinetic Scales in the Turbulent Reconnection Outflow. Issue 1 (29th December 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Huang, S. Y.; Zhang, J.; Yuan, Z. G.; Jiang, K.; Wei, Y. Y.; Xu, S. B.; Xiong, Q. Y.; Zhang, Z. H.; Lin, R. T.; Yu, L.
• Is Part Of: Geophysical research letters. Volume 49:Issue 1(2022)
• Page Start: n/a
• Page End: n/a
• Publication Date: 2021-12-29
• Subjects: intermittent dissipation -- intermittent structure -- turbulent reconnection outflow -- electron heating; Geophysics -- Periodicals; Planets -- Periodicals; Lunar geology -- Periodicals; 550
• DOI: 10.1029/2021GL096403
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0094-8276

Abstract

Abstract: Based on the unprecedented high‐resolution data from the Magnetospheric Multiscale mission, we investigate the energy dissipation in turbulent reconnection outflow during turbulent magnetic reconnection in the terrestrial magnetotail. It is found that this reconnection outflow has plenty of intermittent structures at kinetic scales accompanied by abundant current filaments. Strong energy dissipation occurs in the intermittent structures with a high partial variance of increments index, and the regions with strong current filaments. Further analyses reveal that electron heating with the presence of increase in electron temperature occurs in the intermittent structures and the regions with strong currents. This electron heating is more significant in the component parallel to the magnetic field. Our observations demonstrate that intermittent dissipation at kinetic scales occurs in the turbulent reconnection outflow. Plain Language Summary: Magnetic reconnection is an essential physical process in space, astrophysical, and laboratory plasmas, and it can effectively convert magnetic energy into particle energy accompanied by the change of magnetic field topology in a short time period. It has already been confirmed that magnetic reconnection can produce turbulent reconnection outflows. How and where the energy dissipation takes place in reconnection outflows remains a remarkable open question until now. Thanks to the unprecedented high time resolution data of the Magnetospheric Multiscale mission, we investigate the energy dissipation in turbulent reconnection outflow in the terrestrial magnetotail. Our observations reveal that intermittent dissipation at kinetic scales with strong currents occurs in the turbulent reconnection outflow. Key Points: Intermittent structures at kinetic scales accompanied with strong current filaments are abundant in turbulent reconnection outflows Strong energy dissipation and electron heating occur in the intermittent structures and the regions with strong current filaments There exists intermittent dissipation at kinetic scales in turbulent reconnection outflows