Spiky Structures around Reconnection Exhausts in the Solar Wind

Abstract

Abstract The paper presents for the first time observations of unusual reconnection events in the solar wind. In all solar wind types, we identify magnetic reconnection exhausts accompanied by one or two side jets. This complex structure is created around a single current sheet and the jet(s) oriented in the same direction as the main exhaust is (are) spatially separated from it. A statistical analysis of reconnection exhausts in Wind observations (422 events) revealed that about 12% of exhausts is accompanied with one side jet and 3% of exhausts is bounded by two side jets, one on each side. Multispacecraft observations of events allow us to conclude that these structures are not consistent with a folding of the reconnection exhaust boundary. A source of these side jets is probably multiple or patchy reconnection at or close to the heliospheric current sheet. We suggest a scenario based on multiple reconnection that would lead to the presence of two side jets. A single jet is caused by a broken X-line consisting of two or more spatially separated parts.