Identification of the Electron Diffusion Region during Magnetic Reconnection in a Laboratory Plasma

[摘要] We report the first identification of the electron diffusion region, where demagnetized electrons are accelerated to super-Alfvenic speed, in a reconnecting laboratory plasma. The electron diffusion region is determined from measurements of the out-of-plane quadrupole magnetic field in the neutral sheet in the Magnetic Reconnection Experiment. The width of the electron diffusion region scales with the electron skin depth (~ 5.5-7.5c=ωpi) and the peak electron outflow velocity scales with the electron Alfven velocity (~ 0.12 - 0.16VeA), independent of ion mass.

[发布日期] 2008-06-26

[学科分类] 原子、分子光学和等离子物理

[关键词] DIFFUSION;ELECTRONS;MAGNETIC FIELDS;MAGNETIC RECONNECTION;PLASMA;QUADRUPOLES;VELOCITY Magnetic Reconnection