Core magnetic field enhancement in single X line, multiple X line and patchy reconnection

Abstract

Magnetic flux transfer events often show a significant increase of the magnetic field strength at the center of the events. Similar magnetic field observations have been reported for structures in or near the plasma sheet of the magnetotail at about 20 RE. We have carried out two‐dimensional (2D) and three‐dimensional (3D) simulations of single X reconnection (SXR), multipleX line reconnection (MXR), and patchy reconnection to determine and compare the amplification of the magnetic field in the center of the developing flux tubes. The various processes are achieved by appropriate choices of 2D or 3D resistivity models. The simulations show that the increase in magnetic field strength depends on both the property of the initial configuration and the particular reconnection geometry. For the chosen initial conditions the MXR process leads to a larger increase of the core magnetic field than the patchy reconnection and SXR caused by larger magnetic tensions in the MXR process. The 3D processes always lead to a larger amplification than the corresponding 2D processes. In the 3D cases, force imbalance in the y direction will accelerate plasma out of the flux tube. This process reduces the thermal pressure and leads to a further compression of the flux rope, which yields an additional increase in the interior magnetic field strength.