Statistical Study of Core Electron Heating in Solar Wind Reconnection Exhausts

Abstract:

We present observational evidence of core electron heating in solar wind reconnection exhausts. Following up on a previous study of two example exhausts, we analyze core heating in a number of exhaust regions. This allows us to statistically determine the dependence of heating on parameters such as the inflow Alfven speed (VAL). We compare our results at nearly symmetric reconnection exhausts in the solar wind to a recent study of core electron heating within asymmetric exhausts at the magnetopause.