Electron dynamics in two-dimensional asymmetric anti-parallel reconnection
Pritchett, P. L.; Egedal, J.; Daughton, W.; Le, A.
United States
Abstract
Kinetic simulations and spacecraft observations have documented strong anisotropy in the electron distribution function during magnetic reconnection. The level and role of electron pressure anisotropy is investigated for asymmetric geometries applicable to reconnection in the day-side magnetopause. A previously derived analytic model for the pressure anisotropy is generalized and is applied to the asymmetric geometry. In agreement with the results from a kinetic simulation, the generalized model predicts the strongest pressure anisotropy and parallel electric fields in the in-flow region characterized by low electron pressure.