In Situ Detection of Coalescence of Magnetic Flux Rope during Magnetic Reconnection

Abstract:

Magnetic reconnection effectively converts magnetic energy into plasma kinetic energy in a current sheet. By using the Cluster measurements in Burst Mode, a total of 19 magnetic flux ropes on the ion scale are detected in the ion diffusion region of a magnetic reconnection. Most of the ropes are inferred to be embedded in a region with the Hall quadrupolar magnetic field rather than centered in the plasma sheet. Furthermore, 63% of the ropes are found to be coalescing, which palys an important role in energy dissipation during reconnection. The observations therefore reveal that the ion diffusion region is filled with the ropes and interaction of these ropes is intrinsic to the dynamics of magnetic reconnection.