An Investigation of Perpendicular Gradients of Parallel Electric Field Associated with Magnetic Reconnection

Abstract:

Many observations of particle heating and acceleration throughout the universe have been associated with magnetic reconnection. Generalized Ohm's Law describes how particles move under ideal and non-ideal conditions; however, it is insufficient for describing how the magnetic field itself changes. Initial studies have shown that a curl of a parallel electric field is necessary for reconnection to occur. These analytic studies have demonstrated that perpendicular gradients in the parallel electric field drive a counter-twisting of the magnetic field on either side of the localized parallel electric field. This results in the slippage of magnetic flux tubes and a break down of the 'frozen-in' condition. In this presentation, we analyze results from self-consistent implicit kinetic particle-in-cell simulations. The strongest gradients of parallel electric fields in the simulations are along the separator and not at the X-point. We will present where in the simulation domain the 'frozen-in' condition breaks down and compare it with the location of these gradients, and discuss the implications.