| 1. |
- Abgrall, N., et al.
(author)
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The large enriched germanium experiment for neutrinoless double beta decay (LEGEND)
- 2017
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In: AIP Conference Proceedings. - : Author(s). - 1551-7616 .- 0094-243X. ; 1894
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Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The observation of neutrinoless double-beta decay (0νββ) would show that lepton number is violated, reveal that neu-trinos are Majorana particles, and provide information on neutrino mass. A discovery-capable experiment covering the inverted ordering region, with effective Majorana neutrino masses of 15 - 50 meV, will require a tonne-scale experiment with excellent energy resolution and extremely low backgrounds, at the level of ∼0.1 count /(FWHM·t·yr) in the region of the signal. The current generation 76Ge experiments GERDA and the Majorana Demonstrator, utilizing high purity Germanium detectors with an intrinsic energy resolution of 0.12%, have achieved the lowest backgrounds by over an order of magnitude in the 0νββ signal region of all 0νββ experiments. Building on this success, the LEGEND collaboration has been formed to pursue a tonne-scale 76Ge experiment. The collaboration aims to develop a phased 0νββ experimental program with discovery potential at a half-life approaching or at 1028 years, using existing resources as appropriate to expedite physics results.
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| 2. |
- Lavraud, B., et al.
(author)
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Currents and associated electron scattering and bouncing near the diffusion region at Earth's magnetopause
- 2016
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In: Geophysical Research Letters. - 0094-8276 .- 1944-8007. ; 43:7, s. 3042-3050
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Based on high-resolution measurements from NASA's Magnetospheric Multiscale mission, we present the dynamics of electrons associated with current systems observed near the diffusion region of magnetic reconnection at Earth's magnetopause. Using pitch angle distributions (PAD) and magnetic curvature analysis, we demonstrate the occurrence of electron scattering in the curved magnetic field of the diffusion region down to energies of 20 eV. We show that scattering occurs closer to the current sheet as the electron energy decreases. The scattering of inflowing electrons, associated with field-aligned electrostatic potentials and Hall currents, produces a new population of scattered electrons with broader PAD which bounce back and forth in the exhaust. Except at the center of the diffusion region the two populations are collocated and appear to behave adiabatically: the inflowing electron PAD focuses inward (toward lower magnetic field), while the bouncing population PAD gradually peaks at 90 degrees away from the center (where it mirrors owing to higher magnetic field and probable field-aligned potentials).
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| 3. |
- Fadanelli, S., et al.
(author)
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Four-Spacecraft Measurements of the Shape and Dimensionality of Magnetic Structures in the Near-Earth Plasma Environment
- 2019
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In: Journal of Geophysical Research - Space Physics. - 2169-9380 .- 2169-9402. ; 124:8, s. 6850-6868
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We present a new method for determining the main relevant features of the local magnetic field configuration, based entirely on the knowledge of the magnetic field gradient four‐spacecraft measurements. The method, named “magnetic configuration analysis” (MCA), estimates the spatial scales on which the magnetic field varies locally. While it directly derives from the well‐known magnetic directional derivative and magnetic rotational analysis procedures (Shi et al., 2005, htpps://doi.org/10.1029/2005GL022454; Shen et al., 2007, https://doi.org/10.1029/2005JA011584), MCA was specifically designed to address the actual magnetic field geometry. By applying MCA to multispacecraft data from the Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) satellites, we perform both case and statistical analyses of local magnetic field shape and dimensionality at very high cadence and small scales. We apply this technique to different near‐Earth environments and define a classification scheme for the type of configuration observed. While our case studies allow us to benchmark the method with those used in past works, our statistical analysis unveils the typical shape of magnetic configurations and their statistical distributions. We show that small‐scale magnetic configurations are generally elongated, displaying forms of cigar and blade shapes, but occasionally being planar in shape like thin pancakes (mostly inside current sheets). Magnetic configurations, however, rarely show isotropy in their magnetic variance. The planar nature of magnetic configurations and, most importantly, their scale lengths strongly depend on the plasma β parameter. Finally, the most invariant direction is statistically aligned with the electric current, reminiscent of the importance of electromagnetic forces in shaping the local magnetic configuration.
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| 4. |
- Phan, T. D., et al.
(author)
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Electron magnetic reconnection without ion coupling in Earth's turbulent magnetosheath
- 2018
-
In: Nature. - : NATURE PUBLISHING GROUP. - 0028-0836 .- 1476-4687. ; 557:7704, s. 202-
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Magnetic reconnection in current sheets is a magnetic-to-particle energy conversion process that is fundamental to many space and laboratory plasma systems. In the standard model of reconnection, this process occurs in a minuscule electron-scale diffusion region(1,2). On larger scales, ions couple to the newly reconnected magnetic-field lines and are ejected away from the diffusion region in the form of bi-directional ion jets at the ion Alfven speed(3-5). Much of the energy conversion occurs in spatially extended ion exhausts downstream of the diffusion region(6). In turbulent plasmas, which contain a large number of small-scale current sheets, reconnection has long been suggested to have a major role in the dissipation of turbulent energy at kinetic scales(7-11). However, evidence for reconnection plasma jetting in small-scale turbulent plasmas has so far been lacking. Here we report observations made in Earth's turbulent magnetosheath region (downstream of the bow shock) of an electron-scale current sheet in which diverging bi-directional super-ion-Alfvenic electron jets, parallel electric fields and enhanced magnetic-to-particle energy conversion were detected. Contrary to the standard model of reconnection, the thin reconnecting current sheet was not embedded in a wider ion-scale current layer and no ion jets were detected. Observations of this and other similar, but unidirectional, electron jet events without signatures of ion reconnection reveal a form of reconnection that can drive turbulent energy transfer and dissipation in electron-scale current sheets without ion coupling.
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| 5. |
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| 6. |
- Burch, J. L., et al.
(author)
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Localized Oscillatory Energy Conversion in Magnetopause Reconnection
- 2018
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In: Geophysical Research Letters. - : AMER GEOPHYSICAL UNION. - 0094-8276 .- 1944-8007. ; 45:3, s. 1237-1245
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Data from the NASA Magnetospheric Multiscale mission are used to investigate asymmetric magnetic reconnection at the dayside boundary between the Earth's magnetosphere and the solar wind. High-resolution measurements of plasmas and fields are used to identify highly localized (similar to 15 electron Debye lengths) standing wave structures with large electric field amplitudes (up to 100 mV/m). These wave structures are associated with spatially oscillatory energy conversion, which appears as alternatingly positive and negative values of J . E. For small guide magnetic fields the wave structures occur in the electron stagnation region at the magnetosphere edge of the electron diffusion region. For larger guide fields the structures also occur near the reconnection X-line. This difference is explained in terms of channels for the out-of-plane current (agyrotropic electrons at the stagnation point and guide field-aligned electrons at the X-line).
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| 7. |
- Burch, J. L., et al.
(author)
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Wave Phenomena and Beam-Plasma Interactions at the Magnetopause Reconnection Region
- 2018
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In: Journal of Geophysical Research - Space Physics. - : AMER GEOPHYSICAL UNION. - 2169-9380 .- 2169-9402. ; 123:2, s. 1118-1133
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- This paper reports on Magnetospheric Multiscale observations of whistler mode chorus and higher-frequency electrostatic waves near and within a reconnection diffusion region on 23 November 2016. The diffusion region is bounded by crescent-shaped electron distributions and associated dissipation just upstream of the X-line and by magnetic field-aligned currents and electric fields leading to dissipation near the electron stagnation point. Measurements were made southward of the X-line as determined by southward directed ion and electron jets. We show that electrostatic wave generation is due to magnetosheath electron beams formed by the electron jets as they interact with a cold background plasma and more energetic population of magnetospheric electrons. On the magnetosphere side of the X-line the electron beams are accompanied by a strong perpendicular electron temperature anisotropy, which is shown to be the source of an observed rising-tone whistler mode chorus event. We show that the apex of the chorus event and the onset of electrostatic waves coincide with the opening of magnetic field lines at the electron stagnation point.
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| 8. |
- Webster, J. M., et al.
(author)
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Magnetospheric Multiscale Dayside Reconnection Electron Diffusion Region Events
- 2018
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In: Journal of Geophysical Research - Space Physics. - : AMER GEOPHYSICAL UNION. - 2169-9380 .- 2169-9402. ; 123:6, s. 4858-4878
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We use high-resolution data from dayside passes of the Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) mission to create for the first time a comprehensive listing of encounters with the electron diffusion region (EDR), as evidenced by electron agyrotropy, ion jet reversals, and j.E' > 0. We present an overview of these 32 EDR or near-EDR events, which demonstrate a wide variety of observed plasma behavior inside and surrounding the reconnection site. We analyze in detail three of the 21 new EDR encounters, which occurred within a 1-min-long interval on 23 November 2016. The three events, which resulted from a relatively low and oscillating magnetopause velocity, exhibited large electric fields (up to similar to 100 mV/m), crescent-shaped electron velocity phase space densities, large currents (>= 2 mu A/m(2)), and Ohmic heating of the plasma (similar to 10 nW/m(3)). We include an Ohm's law analysis, in which we show that the divergence of the electron pressure term usually dominates the nonideal terms and is much more turbulent on the magnetosphere versus the magnetosheath side of the EDR.
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| 9. |
- Li, W. Y., et al.
(author)
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Electron Bernstein waves driven by electron crescents near the electron diffusion region
- 2020
-
In: Nature Communications. - : Nature Research. - 2041-1723. ; 11:1
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) spacecraft encounter an electron diffusion region (EDR) of asymmetric magnetic reconnection at Earth’s magnetopause. The EDR is characterized by agyrotropic electron velocity distributions on both sides of the neutral line. Various types of plasma waves are produced by the magnetic reconnection in and near the EDR. Here we report large-amplitude electron Bernstein waves (EBWs) at the electron-scale boundary of the Hall current reversal. The finite gyroradius effect of the outflow electrons generates the crescent-shaped agyrotropic electron distributions, which drive the EBWs. The EBWs propagate toward the central EDR. The amplitude of the EBWs is sufficiently large to thermalize and diffuse electrons around the EDR. The EBWs contribute to the cross-field diffusion of the electron-scale boundary of the Hall current reversal near the EDR.
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| 10. |
- Tang, B. -B, et al.
(author)
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Crescent-Shaped Electron Distributions at the Nonreconnecting Magnetopause : Magnetospheric Multiscale Observations
- 2019
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In: Geophysical Research Letters. - : AMER GEOPHYSICAL UNION. - 0094-8276 .- 1944-8007. ; 46:6, s. 3024-3032
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Crescent‐shaped electron distributions perpendicular to the magnetic field are an important indicator of the electron diffusion region in magnetic reconnection. They can be formed by the electron finite gyroradius effect at plasma boundaries or by demagnetized electron motion. In this study, we present Magnetospheric Multiscale mission observations of electron crescents at the flank magnetopause on 20 September 2017, where reconnection signatures are not observed. These agyrotropic electron distributions are generated by electron gyromotion at the thin electron‐scale magnetic boundaries of a magnetic minimum after magnetic curvature scattering. The variation of their angular range in the perpendicular plane is in good agreement with predictions. Upper hybrid waves are observed to accompany the electron crescents at all four Magnetospheric Multiscale spacecraft as a result of the beam‐plasma instability associated with these agyrotropic electron distributions. This study suggests electron crescents can be more frequently formed at the magnetopause.
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| 11. |
- Gao, C. -H, et al.
(author)
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Effect of the Electric Field on the Agyrotropic Electron Distributions
- 2021
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In: Geophysical Research Letters. - : AMER GEOPHYSICAL UNION. - 0094-8276 .- 1944-8007. ; 48:5
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We investigate agyrotropic electron distributions from two magnetopause events observed by magnetospheric multiscale (MMS) spacecraft. Agyrotropic electron distributions can be generated by the finite electron gyration at an electron-scale boundary, and the electric field normal to this boundary usually contributes to the electron acceleration to make the agyrotropic distributions more apparent. The effect of the electric field becomes important only when it is sufficiently strong and local, meaning its electrostatic potential is comparable to or larger than the electron temperature, and its width is smaller than the electron thermal gyroradius, so that this electric field can directly accelerate part of the electrons out of the original core to form agyrotropic electron distributions. Also, we reproduce the measured electron "finger" structures from test particle simulations, which can be effectively suppressed by increasing the sampling rate of the electron measurement. Plain Language Summary Agyrotropic electron distributions reveal valuable information of electron dynamics at electron scales, and the generation of these distributions have been extensively studied. In this study, we provide a new possibility to generate agyrotropic electron distributions with a strong localized electric field, which can accelerate part of electrons out of the original electron core to form agyrotropic distributions. As such large-amplitude small-scale electric field fluctuations are frequently observed in turbulent plasma environments, we suggest that more agyrotropic electron distributions can be observed with high temporal resolution measurements.
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| 12. |
- Graham, D. B., et al.
(author)
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Direct observations of anomalous resistivity and diffusion in collisionless plasma
- 2022
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In: Nature Communications. - : Springer Nature. - 2041-1723. ; 13:1
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Coulomb collisions provide plasma resistivity and diffusion but in many low-density astrophysical plasmas such collisions between particles are extremely rare. Scattering of particles by electromagnetic waves can lower the plasma conductivity. Such anomalous resistivity due to wave-particle interactions could be crucial to many processes, including magnetic reconnection. It has been suggested that waves provide both diffusion and resistivity, which can support the reconnection electric field, but this requires direct observation to confirm. Here, we directly quantify anomalous resistivity, viscosity, and cross-field electron diffusion associated with lower hybrid waves using measurements from the four Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) spacecraft. We show that anomalous resistivity is approximately balanced by anomalous viscosity, and thus the waves do not contribute to the reconnection electric field. However, the waves do produce an anomalous electron drift and diffusion across the current layer associated with magnetic reconnection. This leads to relaxation of density gradients at timescales of order the ion cyclotron period, and hence modifies the reconnection process. It is suggested that waves can provide both diffusion and resistivity that can potentially support the reconnection electric field in low-density astrophysical plasmas. Here, the authors show, using direct spacecraft measurements, that the waves contribute to anomalous diffusion but do not contribute to the reconnection electric field.
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| 13. |
- Argall, M. R., et al.
(author)
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Electron Dynamics Within the Electron Diffusion Region of Asymmetric Reconnection
- 2018
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In: Journal of Geophysical Research - Space Physics. - : AMER GEOPHYSICAL UNION. - 2169-9380 .- 2169-9402. ; 123:1, s. 146-162
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We investigate the agyrotropic nature of electron distribution functions and their substructure to illuminate electron dynamics in a previously reported electron diffusion region (EDR) event. In particular, agyrotropy is examined as a function of energy to reveal detailed finite Larmor radius effects for the first time. It is shown that the previously reported approximate to 66eV agyrotropic "crescent" population that has been accelerated as a result of reconnection is evanescent in nature because it mixes with a denser, gyrotopic background. Meanwhile, accelerated agyrotropic populations at 250 and 500eV are more prominent because the background plasma at those energies is more tenuous. Agyrotropy at 250 and 500eV is also more persistent than at 66eV because of finite Larmor radius effects; agyrotropy is observed 2.5 ion inertial lengths from the EDR at 500eV, but only in close proximity to the EDR at 66eV. We also observe linearly polarized electrostatic waves leading up to and within the EDR. They have wave normal angles near 90 degrees, and their occurrence and intensity correlate with agyrotropy. Within the EDR, they modulate the flux of 500eV electrons travelling along the current layer. The net electric field intensifies the reconnection current, resulting in a flow of energy from the fields into the plasma. Plain Language Summary The process of reconnection involves an explosive transfer of magnetic energy into particle energy. When energetic particles contact modern technology such as satellites, cell phones, or other electronic devices, they can cause random errors and failures. Exactly how particles are energized via reconnection, however, is still unknown. Fortunately, the Magnetospheric Multiscale mission is finally able to detect and analyze reconnection processes. One recent finding is that energized particles take on a crescent-shaped configuration in the vicinity of reconnection and that this crescent shape is related to the energy conversion process. In our paper, we explain why the crescent shape has not been observed until now and inspect particle motions to determine what impact it has on energy conversion. When reconnection heats the plasma, the crescent shape forms from the cool, tenuous particles. As plasmas from different regions mix, dense, nonheated plasma obscures the crescent shape in our observations. The highest-energy particle population created by reconnection, though, also contains features of the crescent shape that are more persistent but appear less dramatically in the data.
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| 14. |
- Graham, Daniel B., et al.
(author)
-
Universality of Lower Hybrid Waves at Earth's Magnetopause
- 2019
-
In: Journal of Geophysical Research - Space Physics. - : John Wiley & Sons. - 2169-9380 .- 2169-9402. ; 124:11, s. 8727-8760
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Waves around the lower hybrid frequency are frequently observed at Earth's magnetopause and readily reach very large amplitudes. Determining the properties of lower hybrid waves is crucial because they are thought to contribute to electron and ion heating, cross‐field particle diffusion, anomalous resistivity, and energy transfer between electrons and ions. All these processes could play an important role in magnetic reconnection at the magnetopause and the evolution of the boundary layer. In this paper, the properties of lower hybrid waves at Earth's magnetopause are investigated using the Magnetospheric Multiscale mission. For the first time, the properties of the waves are investigated using fields and direct particle measurements. The highest‐resolution electron moments resolve the velocity and density fluctuations of lower hybrid waves, confirming that electrons remain approximately frozen in at lower hybrid wave frequencies. Using fields and particle moments, the dispersion relation is constructed and the wave‐normal angle is estimated to be close to 90° to the background magnetic field. The waves are shown to have a finite parallel wave vector, suggesting that they can interact with parallel propagating electrons. The observed wave properties are shown to agree with theoretical predictions, the previously used single‐spacecraft method, and four‐spacecraft timing analyses. These results show that single‐spacecraft methods can accurately determine lower hybrid wave properties.
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| 15. |
- Lu, San, et al.
(author)
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Magnetotail reconnection onset caused by electron kinetics with a strong external driver
- 2020
-
In: Nature Communications. - : Springer Nature. - 2041-1723. ; 11:1
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Magnetotail reconnection plays a crucial role in explosive energy conversion in geospace. Because of the lack of in-situ spacecraft observations, the onset mechanism of magnetotail reconnection, however, has been controversial for decades. The key question is whether magnetotail reconnection is externally driven to occur first on electron scales or spontaneously arising from an unstable configuration on ion scales. Here, we show, using spacecraft observations and particle-in-cell (PIC) simulations, that magnetotail reconnection starts from electron reconnection in the presence of a strong external driver. Our PIC simulations show that this electron reconnection then develops into ion reconnection. These results provide direct evidence for magnetotail reconnection onset caused by electron kinetics with a strong external driver.
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| 16. |
- Chen, L-J, et al.
(author)
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Lower-Hybrid Drift Waves Driving Electron Nongyrotropic Heating and Vortical Flows in a Magnetic Reconnection Layer
- 2020
-
In: Physical Review Letters. - : American Physical Society (APS). - 0031-9007 .- 1079-7114. ; 125:2
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We report measurements of lower-hybrid drift waves driving electron heating and vortical flows in an electron-scale reconnection layer under a guide field. Electrons accelerated by the electrostatic potential of the waves exhibit perpendicular and nongyrotropic heating. The vortical flows generate magnetic field perturbations comparable to the guide field magnitude. The measurements reveal a new regime of electron-wave interaction and how this interaction modifies the electron dynamics in the reconnection layer.
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| 17. |
- Wilder, F. D., et al.
(author)
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The Role of the Parallel Electric Field in Electron-Scale Dissipation at Reconnecting Currents in the Magnetosheath
- 2018
-
In: Journal of Geophysical Research - Space Physics. - : American Geophysical Union (AGU). - 2169-9380 .- 2169-9402. ; 123:8, s. 6533-6547
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We report observations from the Magnetospheric Multiscale satellites of reconnecting current sheets in the magnetosheath over a range of out-of-plane "guide" magnetic field strengths. The currents exhibit nonideal energy conversion in the electron frame of reference, and the events are within the ion diffusion region within close proximity (a few electron skin depths) to the electron diffusion region. The study focuses on energy conversion on the electron scale only. At low guide field (antiparallel reconnection), electric fields and currents perpendicular to the magnetic field dominate the energy conversion. Additionally, electron distributions exhibit significant nongyrotropy. As the guide field increases, the electric field parallel to the background magnetic field becomes increasingly strong, and the electron nongyrotropy becomes less apparent. We find that even with a guide field less than half the reconnecting field, the parallel electric field and currents dominate the dissipation. This suggests that parallel electric fields are more important to energy conversion in reconnection than previously thought and that at high guide field, the physics governing magnetic reconnection are significantly different from antiparallel reconnection.
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| 18. |
- Torbert, R. B., et al.
(author)
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Structure and Dissipation Characteristics of an Electron Diffusion Region Observed by MMS During a Rapid, Normal-Incidence Magnetopause Crossing
- 2017
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In: Journal of Geophysical Research - Space Physics. - : AMER GEOPHYSICAL UNION. - 2169-9380 .- 2169-9402. ; 122:12, s. 11901-11916
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- On 22 October 2016, the Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) spacecraft encountered the electron diffusion region (EDR) when the magnetosheath field was southward, and there were signatures of fast reconnection, including flow jets, Hall fields, and large power dissipation. One rapid, normal-incidence crossing, during which the EDR structure was almost stationary in the boundary frame, provided an opportunity to observe the spatial structure for the zero guide field case of magnetic reconnection. The reconnection electric field was determined unambiguously to be 2-3 mV/m. There were clear signals of fluctuating parallel electric fields, up to 6 mV/m on the magnetosphere side of the diffusion region, associated with a Hall-like parallel current feature on the electron scale. The width of the main EDR structure was determined to be similar to 2 km (1.8 de). Although the MMS spacecraft were in their closest tetrahedral separation of similar to 8 km, the divergences and curls for these thin current structures could therefore not be computed in the usual manner. A method is developed to determine these quantities on a much smaller scale and applied to compute the normal component of terms in the generalized Ohm's law for the positions of each individual spacecraft (not a barocentric average). Although the gradient pressure term has a qualitative dependence that follows the observed variation of E + Ve x B, the quantitative magnitude of these terms differs by more than a factor of 2, which is shown to be greater than the respective errors. Thus, future research is required to find the manner in which Ohm's law is balanced. Plain Language Summary The Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) spacecraft observed the spatial structure of the region where magnetic energy is converted to particle flows and heat. New features of currents and fields parallel to the magnetic field are analyzed. Some discrepancies with present computer simulations are found within this region.
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