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On the Electron Diffusion Region in Asymmetric Reconnection with a Guide Magnetic FieldParticle-in-cell simulations in a 2.5-D geometry and analytical theory are employed to study the electron diffusion region in asymmetric reconnection with a guide magnetic field. The analysis presented here demonstrates that similar to the case without guide field, in-plane flow stagnation and null of the in-plane magnetic field are well separated. In addition, it is shown that the electric field at the local magnetic X point is again dominated by inertial effects, whereas it remains dominated by nongyrotropic pressure effects at the in-plane flow stagnation point. A comparison between local electron Larmor radii and the magnetic gradient scale lengths predicts that distribution should become nongyrotropic in a region enveloping both field reversal and flow stagnation points. This prediction is verified by an analysis of modeled electron distributions, which show clear evidence of mixing in the critical region.
Document ID
20160005126
Acquisition Source
Goddard Space Flight Center
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
External Source(s)
Authors
Hesse, Michael
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD United States)
Liu, Yi-Hsin
(Universities Space Research Association Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Chen, Li-Jen
(Maryland Univ. College Park, MD, United States)
Bessho, Naoki
(Maryland Univ. Baltimore County Baltimore, MD, United States)
Kuznetsova, Masha
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD United States)
Birn, Joachim
(Space Science Inst. Boulder, CO, United States)
Burch, James L.
(Southwest Research Inst. San Antonio, TX, United States)
Date Acquired
April 18, 2016
Publication Date
March 10, 2016
Publication Information
Publication: Geophysical Research Letters
Publisher: American Geophysical Union
Volume: 796
Issue: 1
Subject Category
Physics (General)
Report/Patent Number
GSFC-E-DAA-TN31186
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: NSF-AGS-1552142
CONTRACT_GRANT: NNG11PL02A
CONTRACT_GRANT: NSF-AGS-1543598
CONTRACT_GRANT: NNH15CO48B
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other
Keywords
reconnection
asymmetric
magnetic

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