Speaker
Dr
Rongsheng Wang
(Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences)
Description
One long outstanding issue in the study of magnetic
reconnection is exactly where and how
electrons
are energized, although the observations have demonstrated
that a substantial part of magnetic
energy is converted into energetic electrons in reconnection.
Here, we present the first evidence of
electron acceleration by parallel electric field (up to -20
mV/m) carried by the Double Layer (DL) in
the
separatrix region during reconnection. Based on theory and
previous auroral observations, the DL is
inferred to propagate away from X-line at a velocity about ion
acoustic speed and thereby
accelerates
electrons effectively on its way. The identification of multiple
similar DLs within mere 16s interval
indicates that they are persistently produced and play an
important role in energy conversion during
reconnection. The observations suggest electrons are
energized during reconnection not only in
certain fixed regions as expected previously but in any region
where as long as the DL reaches.
Primary author
Dr
Rongsheng Wang
(Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences)
