Two-scale structure of the electron dissipation region during collisionless magnetic reconnection.
Particle-in-cell simulations of collisionless magnetic reconnection are presented that demonstrate that reconnection remains fast in very large systems. The electron dissipation region develops a distinct two-scale structure along the outflow direction. Consistent with fast reconnection, the length of the electron current layer stabilizes and decreases with decreasing electron mass, approaching the ion inertial length for a proton-electron plasma. Surprisingly, the electrons form a super-Alfvénic outflow jet that remains decoupled from the magnetic field and extends large distances downstream from the x line.
Shay
M A
MA
Department of Physics & Astronomy, 217 Sharp Lab, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware 19716, USA. shay@udel.edu
Drake
J F
JF
Swisdak
M
M