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Large-scale electron acceleration by parallel electric fields during magnetic reconnection

Egedal, J.; Daughton, W.; Le, A.

Magnetic reconnection is a process by which the field lines of a magnetized plasma undergo dramatic realignment, releasing large amounts of energy. Large-scale simulations of reconnection events in the Earth's magnetosphere suggest that this process takes place over much greater distances than previously expected.

Observations and simulations of non-local acceleration of electrons in magnetotail magnetic reconnection events

Hwang, Kyoung-Joo; Kivelson, Margaret G.; Schriver, David +6 more

Magnetic reconnection in magnetized plasmas represents a change in magnetic field topology and is associated with a concomitant energization of charged particles that results from a conversion of magnetic energy into particle energy. In Earth's magnetosphere this process is associated with the entry of the solar wind into the magnetosphere and wit…

The effect of flares on total solar irradiance

Schmutz, Werner; de Wit, Thierry Dudok; Mekaoui, Sabri +3 more

Flares are powerful bursts of energy released by relatively poorly understood processes that take place in the atmospheres of stars. However, although solar flares, from our own Sun, are the most energetic events in the solar system, in comparison to the total output of the Sun they are barely noticeable. Consequently, the total amount of radiant …

Planetary physics: Under the spell of the rings

Trabesinger, Andreas

Observation of energetic electrons within magnetic islands

Daly, P. W.; Khotyaintsev, Y.; Vaivads, A. +10 more

Magnetic reconnection is the underlying process that releases impulsively an enormous amount of magnetic energy in solar flares , flares on strongly magnetized neutron stars and substorms in the Earth's magnetosphere. Studies of energy release during solar flares, in particular, indicate that up to 50% of the released energy is carried by accelera…

In situ evidence of magnetic reconnection in turbulent plasma

André, M.; Vaivads, A.; Owen, C. J. +3 more

Magnetic reconnection is a universal process leading to energy conversion in plasmas. It occurs in the Solar System, in laboratory plasmas and is important in astrophysics . Reconnection has been observed so far only at large-scale boundaries between different plasma environments . It is not known whether reconnection occurs and is important in tu…

Satellite observations of separator-line geometry of three-dimensional magnetic reconnection

Escoubet, C. P.; Dandouras, I.; Glassmeier, K. -H. +14 more

Detection of a separator line that connects magnetic nulls and the determination of the dynamics and plasma environment of such a structure can improve our understanding of the three-dimensional (3D) magnetic reconnection process. However, this type of field and particle configuration has not been directly observed in space plasmas. Here we report…

In situ evidence for the structure of the magnetic null in a 3D reconnection event in the Earth's magnetotail

Escoubet, C. P.; Balogh, A.; Glassmeier, K. H. +12 more

Magnetic reconnection is one of the most important processes in astrophysical, space and laboratory plasmas. Identifying the structure around the point at which the magnetic field lines break and subsequently reform, known as the magnetic null point, is crucial to improving our understanding of reconnection. But owing to the inherently three-dimen…

Cosmic-ray diffusion near the Bohm limit in the Cassiopeia A supernova remnant

Stage, M. D.; Allen, G. E.; Houck, J. C. +1 more

The acceleration of cosmic rays in our Galaxy by means of diffusive shock (Fermi) acceleration is believed to occur primarily in supernova remnants (SNRs). Despite considerable theoretical work, the precise details are still unknown, in part because of the difficulty in directly observing nucleons that are accelerated to TeV energies in-and affect…

Astrophysics: Fingerprints in Saturn's F ring

Hamilton, Douglas P.

A planet's rings can be distorted by the gravitational pull of its satellites, and these complex interactions have been difficult to disentangle. Saturn's moon Prometheus, however, has now been caught returning to the scene of the crime.