Quadrupolar pattern of the asymmetric guide-field reconnection

• With high-resolution data of the recently launched Magnetospheric Multiscale mission, we report a magnetic reconnection event at the dayside magnetopause. This reconnection event, having a density asymmetry N-high/N-low approximate to 2 on the two sides of the reconnecting current sheet and a guide field B-g approximate to 0.4B(0) in the out-of-plane direction, exhibit all the two-fluid features: Alfvenic plasma jets in the outflow region, bipolar Hall electric fields toward the current sheet center, quadrupolar Hall magnetic fields in the out-of-plane direction, and the corresponding Hall currents. Obviously, the density asymmetry N-high/N-low approximate to 2 and the guide field B-g approximate to 0.4B(0) are not sufficient to dismiss the quadrupolar pattern of Hall reconnection. This is different from previous simulations, where the bipolar pattern of Hall reconnection was suggested.

Ämnesord

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Fysik -- Fusion, plasma och rymdfysik (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Physical Sciences -- Fusion, Plasma and Space Physics (hsv//eng)

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Fysik -- Astronomi, astrofysik och kosmologi (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Physical Sciences -- Astronomy, Astrophysics and Cosmology (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

reconnection at magnetopause

number density asymmetry

moderate guide field

Alfvenic plasma jet

quadrupolar Hall pattern

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