JPP seminar of Louis Richard

Particle Energization in Magnetic Reconnection Jets.

Magnetic reconnection is a fundamental plasma process that converts electromagnetic energy into particle acceleration and bulk plasma motion, driving some of the most energetic events in the Universe. In this study, we investigate how reconnection outflows transfer energy to the surrounding plasma using data from NASA’s Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) spacecraft in Earth’s magnetotail. Our analysis shows that turbulence generated within the reconnection outflow plays a key role in energy dissipation. Specifically, thermal ions are rapidly scattered and heated due to their interaction with strongly curved magnetic fields, while the convective electric field further accelerates higher-energy ions. Additionally, we find that electrons are efficiently heated by a magnetic field-aligned electric field, which arises to maintain charge neutrality. These findings provide new insights into energy dissipation and particle energization mechanisms in magnetic reconnection, improving our understanding of plasma dynamics in space and astrophysical environments.