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Nonlinear waves and instabilities leading to secondary reconnection in reconnection outflows

Part of: Frontiers in Plasma Physics Conference Focus on Space Plasmas

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  14 February 2018

Giovanni Lapenta ,
Francesco Pucci ,
Vyacheslav Olshevsky ,
Sergio Servidio ,
Luca Sorriso-Valvo ,
David L. Newman  and
Martin V. Goldman
Giovanni Lapenta*
Affiliation:
Center for Mathematical Plasma Astrophysics, Department of Mathematics, KULeuven Belgium, 200B Celestijnenlaan, Leuven, B-3001 Space Science Institute, Boulder, USA
Francesco Pucci
Affiliation:
Center for Mathematical Plasma Astrophysics, Department of Mathematics, KULeuven Belgium, 200B Celestijnenlaan, Leuven, B-3001
Vyacheslav Olshevsky
Affiliation:
Center for Mathematical Plasma Astrophysics, Department of Mathematics, KULeuven Belgium, 200B Celestijnenlaan, Leuven, B-3001
Sergio Servidio
Affiliation:
Via P. Bucci, Cubo 31C, Arcavacata di Rende, I-87036, Dipartimento di Fisica, Università della Calabria
Luca Sorriso-Valvo
Affiliation:
Nanotec-CNR, U.O.S. Cosenza, Arcavacata di Rende, Italy
David L. Newman
Affiliation:
University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309, USA
Martin V. Goldman
Affiliation:
University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309, USA
*
†Email address for correspondence: giovanni.lapenta@kuleuven.be
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Abstract

Reconnection outflows have been under intense recent scrutiny, from in situ observations and from simulations. These regions are host to a variety of instabilities and intense energy exchanges, often even superior to the main reconnection site. We report here a number of results drawn from an investigation of simulations. First, the outflows are observed to become unstable to drift instabilities. Second, these instabilities lead to the formation of secondary reconnection sites. Third, the secondary processes are responsible for large energy exchanges and particle energization. Finally, the particle distribution function are modified to become non-Maxwellian and include multiple interpenetrating populations.

Keywords

astrophysical plasmasplasma simulationspace plasma physics
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Plasma Physics , Volume 84 , Issue 1 , February 2018 , 715840103
Copyright
© Cambridge University Press 2018 

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