Abstract
Particle dynamics in the electron current layer in collisionless magnetic reconnection is investigated by using a particle-in-cell simulation. The electron motion and velocity distribution functions are studied by tracking self-consistent trajectories. New classes of electron orbits are discovered: figure-eight-shaped regular orbits inside the electron jet, noncrossing regular orbits on the jet flanks, noncrossing Speiser orbits, and nongyrotropic electrons in the downstream of the jet termination region. The properties of a super-Alfvénic outflow jet are attributed to an ensemble of electrons traveling through the Speiser orbits. The noncrossing orbits are mediated by the polarization electric field near the electron current layer. The noncrossing electrons are found to be non-negligible in number density. The impact of these new orbits to electron mixing, spatial distribution of energetic electrons, and observational signatures is presented.
Highlights
Collisionless magnetic reconnection is a basic plasma process for the abrupt release of a magnetic energy
Particle dynamics in the electron current layer in collisionless magnetic reconnection is investigated by using a particle-in-cell simulation
We have investigated the basic properties of the electron current layer (ECL) from various angles: fluid quantities, velocity distribution functions (VDFs), trajectories, and compositions
Summary
Collisionless magnetic reconnection is a basic plasma process for the abrupt release of a magnetic energy. Shuster et al. presented that the electron VDFs contain various discrete components in the outflow exhaust They further examined the structure of the electron VDF over the ECL, with help from the test-particle simulations. With help from test particle simulations, they found that parallel heating by the curvature drift acceleration and perpendicular heating by the gradient-B drift acceleration account for a highly structured VDF near the magnetic flux pile-up region. These VDFs are ensembles of electrons, following various complex trajectories in the reconnection system.
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