Magnetotail reconnection onset caused by electron kinetics with a strong external driver

San Lu, Rongsheng Wang, Quanming Lu (), V. Angelopoulos, R. Nakamura, A. V. Artemyev, P. L. Pritchett, T. Z. Liu, X.-J. Zhang, W. Baumjohann, W. Gonzalez, A. C. Rager, R. B. Torbert, B. L. Giles, D. J. Gershman, C. T. Russell, R. J. Strangeway, Y. Qi, R. E. Ergun, P.-A. Lindqvist, J. L. Burch and Shui Wang
Additional contact information
San Lu: University of California
Rongsheng Wang: University of Science and Technology of China
Quanming Lu: University of Science and Technology of China
V. Angelopoulos: University of California
R. Nakamura: Austrian Academy of Sciences
A. V. Artemyev: University of California
P. L. Pritchett: University of California
T. Z. Liu: University of California
X.-J. Zhang: University of California
W. Baumjohann: Austrian Academy of Sciences
W. Gonzalez: China-Brazil Joint Laboratory for Space Weather, Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais
A. C. Rager: Catholic University of America
R. B. Torbert: University of New Hampshire
B. L. Giles: NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
D. J. Gershman: NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
C. T. Russell: University of California
R. J. Strangeway: University of California
Y. Qi: University of California
R. E. Ergun: University of Colorado
P.-A. Lindqvist: Royal Institute of Technology
J. L. Burch: Southwest Research Institute
Shui Wang: University of Science and Technology of China

Nature Communications, 2020, vol. 11, issue 1, 1-7

Abstract: Abstract Magnetotail reconnection plays a crucial role in explosive energy conversion in geospace. Because of the lack of in-situ spacecraft observations, the onset mechanism of magnetotail reconnection, however, has been controversial for decades. The key question is whether magnetotail reconnection is externally driven to occur first on electron scales or spontaneously arising from an unstable configuration on ion scales. Here, we show, using spacecraft observations and particle-in-cell (PIC) simulations, that magnetotail reconnection starts from electron reconnection in the presence of a strong external driver. Our PIC simulations show that this electron reconnection then develops into ion reconnection. These results provide direct evidence for magnetotail reconnection onset caused by electron kinetics with a strong external driver.

Date: 2020
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-18787-w

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