In situ observations of flux rope at the separatrix region of magnetic reconnection

S. Y. Huang; A. Retino; T. D. Phan; W. Daughton; A. Vaivads; H. Karimabadi; M. Zhou; F. Sahraoui; G. L. Li; Z. G. Yuan; X. H. Deng; H. S. Fu; S. Fu; Y. Pang; D. D. Wang

doi:10.1002/2015JA021468

In situ observations of flux rope at the separatrix region of magnetic reconnection

S. Y. Huang
, A. Retino
, T. D. Phan
, W. Daughton
, A. Vaivads
, H. Karimabadi
, M. Zhou
, F. Sahraoui
, G. L. Li
, Z. G. Yuan
, X. H. Deng
, H. S. Fu
, S. Fu
, Y. Pang
, D. D. Wang

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

We present the first in situ observations of a small-scale flux rope locally formed at the separatrix region of magnetic reconnection without large guide field. Bidirectional electron beams (cold and hot beams) and density cavity accompanied by intense wave activity substantiate the crossing of the separatrix region. Density compression and one parallel electron beam are detected inside the flux rope. We suggest that this flux rope is locally generated at the separatrix region due to the tearing instability within the separatrix current layer. This observation sheds new light on the 3-D picture of magnetic reconnection in space plasma.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	205-213
Number of pages	9
Journal	Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics
Volume	121
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1002/2015JA021468
Publication status	Published - 1 Jan 2016

Keywords

flux rope
magnetic reconnection
separatrix
tearing instability

Access to Document

10.1002/2015JA021468

Cite this

Huang, S. Y., Retino, A., Phan, T. D., Daughton, W., Vaivads, A., Karimabadi, H., Zhou, M., Sahraoui, F., Li, G. L., Yuan, Z. G., Deng, X. H., Fu, H. S., Fu, S., Pang, Y., & Wang, D. D. (2016). In situ observations of flux rope at the separatrix region of magnetic reconnection. Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics, 121(1), 205-213. https://doi.org/10.1002/2015JA021468

@article{e7c26cd2234f4fbf97e6fc591031ff47,

title = "In situ observations of flux rope at the separatrix region of magnetic reconnection",

abstract = "We present the first in situ observations of a small-scale flux rope locally formed at the separatrix region of magnetic reconnection without large guide field. Bidirectional electron beams (cold and hot beams) and density cavity accompanied by intense wave activity substantiate the crossing of the separatrix region. Density compression and one parallel electron beam are detected inside the flux rope. We suggest that this flux rope is locally generated at the separatrix region due to the tearing instability within the separatrix current layer. This observation sheds new light on the 3-D picture of magnetic reconnection in space plasma.",

keywords = "flux rope, magnetic reconnection, separatrix, tearing instability",

author = "Huang, \{S. Y.\} and A. Retino and Phan, \{T. D.\} and W. Daughton and A. Vaivads and H. Karimabadi and M. Zhou and F. Sahraoui and Li, \{G. L.\} and Yuan, \{Z. G.\} and Deng, \{X. H.\} and Fu, \{H. S.\} and S. Fu and Y. Pang and Wang, \{D. D.\}",

year = "2016",

month = jan,

day = "1",

doi = "10.1002/2015JA021468",

language = "English",

volume = "121",

pages = "205--213",

journal = "Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics",

issn = "2169-9402",

number = "1",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - In situ observations of flux rope at the separatrix region of magnetic reconnection

AU - Huang, S. Y.

AU - Retino, A.

AU - Phan, T. D.

AU - Daughton, W.

AU - Vaivads, A.

AU - Karimabadi, H.

AU - Zhou, M.

AU - Sahraoui, F.

AU - Li, G. L.

AU - Yuan, Z. G.

AU - Deng, X. H.

AU - Fu, H. S.

AU - Fu, S.

AU - Pang, Y.

AU - Wang, D. D.

PY - 2016/1/1

Y1 - 2016/1/1

N2 - We present the first in situ observations of a small-scale flux rope locally formed at the separatrix region of magnetic reconnection without large guide field. Bidirectional electron beams (cold and hot beams) and density cavity accompanied by intense wave activity substantiate the crossing of the separatrix region. Density compression and one parallel electron beam are detected inside the flux rope. We suggest that this flux rope is locally generated at the separatrix region due to the tearing instability within the separatrix current layer. This observation sheds new light on the 3-D picture of magnetic reconnection in space plasma.

AB - We present the first in situ observations of a small-scale flux rope locally formed at the separatrix region of magnetic reconnection without large guide field. Bidirectional electron beams (cold and hot beams) and density cavity accompanied by intense wave activity substantiate the crossing of the separatrix region. Density compression and one parallel electron beam are detected inside the flux rope. We suggest that this flux rope is locally generated at the separatrix region due to the tearing instability within the separatrix current layer. This observation sheds new light on the 3-D picture of magnetic reconnection in space plasma.

KW - flux rope

KW - magnetic reconnection

KW - separatrix

KW - tearing instability

U2 - 10.1002/2015JA021468

DO - 10.1002/2015JA021468

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:84958914796

SN - 2169-9402

VL - 121

SP - 205

EP - 213

JO - Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics

JF - Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics

IS - 1

ER -

In situ observations of flux rope at the separatrix region of magnetic reconnection

Abstract

Keywords

Access to Document

Fingerprint

Cite this