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Nakamura & Fujimoto 1998
Nakamura, M.S. and Fujimoto, M. (1998). A three-dimensional hybrid simulation of magnetic reconnection. Geophysical Research Letters 25: doi: 10.1029/98GL02154. issn: 0094-8276.

We study magnetic reconnection in the magnetotail by a 3-D hybrid simulation (ion, particle, charge neutralizing massless electron fluid). Magnetic reconnection is initiated by putting anomalous resistivity localized in the plasma sheet. The resistive region is set up to have a finite dawn-dusk extent so that 3-D effects in the presence of ion particle dynamics are studied. Indeed, in the course of reconnection, plasma flow pattern and magnetic field configuration show highly asymmetric features in the dawn-dusk direction due to ion kinetic responses. The initial dawn-to-dusk ion current is disrupted on the dawnside of the diffusion region, requiring electrons to flow into the diffusion region from the duskside of it to support the cross-tail current, resulting in dawnward bending of field lines prior to reconnection. In contrast, reconnected field lines are transported by the reconnection jet which has substantial duskward flow component and eventually bend duskward. ¿ 1998 American Geophysical Union

BACKGROUND DATA FILES

Abstract

Keywords
Space Plasma Physics, Space Plasma Physics, Charged particle motion and acceleration, Space Plasma Physics, Magnetic reconnection, Space Plasma Physics, Numerical simulation studies
Journal
Geophysical Research Letters
http://www.agu.org/journals/gl/
Publisher
American Geophysical Union
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