Magnetospheric Multiscale Observations of the Electron Diffusion Region of Large Guide Field Magnetic Reconnection

• We report observations from the Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) satellites of a large guide field magnetic reconnection event. The observations suggest that two of the four MMS spacecraft sampled the electron diffusion region, whereas the other two spacecraft detected the exhaust jet from the event. The guide magnetic field amplitude is approximately 4 times that of the reconnecting field. The event is accompanied by a significant parallel electric field (E-parallel to)that is larger than predicted by simulations. The high-speed (similar to 300 km/s) crossing of the electron diffusion region limited the data set to one complete electron distribution inside of the electron diffusion region, which shows significant parallel heating. The data suggest that E-parallel to is balanced by a combination of electron inertia and a parallel gradient of the gyrotropic electron pressure.

Subject headings

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Fysik (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Physical Sciences (hsv//eng)

Keyword

Diffusion

Electric fields

Fighter aircraft

Magnetism

Magnetosphere

Spacecraft

Electron diffusion

Electron distributions

Electron inertia

Electron pressures

Guide magnetic field

Guide-field magnetic reconnection

Magnetospheric multi scale

Parallel electric fields

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)