Fundamental Understanding of Magnetic Reconnection via Spiral CT Scan. I. Density, Temperature, Pressure, and Method Validation
For the first time, we reveal the distribution of plasma density, electron temperature, thermal pressure, and total pressure around a reconnection X-line, by using the spiral CT scan technique, which is a novel technique analogous to that in the hospital. This X-line was detected by the Magnetospher...
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IOP Publishing
2025-01-01
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| Series: | The Astrophysical Journal |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/adade7 |
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| author | H. S. Fu Z. Wang J. B. Cao |
| author_facet | H. S. Fu Z. Wang J. B. Cao |
| author_sort | H. S. Fu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | For the first time, we reveal the distribution of plasma density, electron temperature, thermal pressure, and total pressure around a reconnection X-line, by using the spiral CT scan technique, which is a novel technique analogous to that in the hospital. This X-line was detected by the Magnetospheric Multiscale spacecraft and has been widely believed to host a non-guide-field reconnection in previous studies. With the help of such an advanced technique, we find that (1) the plasma density is low on the magnetosphere side but high on the magnetosheath side; (2) the electron temperature is high on the magnetosphere side but low on the magnetosheath side; (3) the thermal pressure is high near the current sheet but low away from the current sheet; (4) the total pressure in the inflow region is higher than near the current sheet. Among these findings, the first three agree with classical theories, hence validating our novel scan technique; the last one implicates that antiparallel magnetic field lines were being pushed together and the reconnection process was ongoing. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-1c4ecd7a4109436e8f251cd1ba2e4aff |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1538-4357 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | IOP Publishing |
| record_format | Article |
| series | The Astrophysical Journal |
| spelling | doaj-art-1c4ecd7a4109436e8f251cd1ba2e4aff2025-02-07T08:54:21ZengIOP PublishingThe Astrophysical Journal1538-43572025-01-01980111210.3847/1538-4357/adade7Fundamental Understanding of Magnetic Reconnection via Spiral CT Scan. I. Density, Temperature, Pressure, and Method ValidationH. S. Fu0Z. Wang1https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1720-964XJ. B. Cao2School of Space and Earth Sciences, Beihang University , Beijing, People’s Republic of China ; huishanf@gmail.com; Key Laboratory of Space Environment Monitoring and Information Processing, Ministry of Industry and Information Technology , Beijing, People’s Republic of ChinaSchool of Space and Earth Sciences, Beihang University , Beijing, People’s Republic of China ; huishanf@gmail.com; Key Laboratory of Space Environment Monitoring and Information Processing, Ministry of Industry and Information Technology , Beijing, People’s Republic of ChinaSchool of Space and Earth Sciences, Beihang University , Beijing, People’s Republic of China ; huishanf@gmail.com; Key Laboratory of Space Environment Monitoring and Information Processing, Ministry of Industry and Information Technology , Beijing, People’s Republic of ChinaFor the first time, we reveal the distribution of plasma density, electron temperature, thermal pressure, and total pressure around a reconnection X-line, by using the spiral CT scan technique, which is a novel technique analogous to that in the hospital. This X-line was detected by the Magnetospheric Multiscale spacecraft and has been widely believed to host a non-guide-field reconnection in previous studies. With the help of such an advanced technique, we find that (1) the plasma density is low on the magnetosphere side but high on the magnetosheath side; (2) the electron temperature is high on the magnetosphere side but low on the magnetosheath side; (3) the thermal pressure is high near the current sheet but low away from the current sheet; (4) the total pressure in the inflow region is higher than near the current sheet. Among these findings, the first three agree with classical theories, hence validating our novel scan technique; the last one implicates that antiparallel magnetic field lines were being pushed together and the reconnection process was ongoing.https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/adade7Solar magnetic reconnectionSpace plasmasPlasma physics |
| spellingShingle | H. S. Fu Z. Wang J. B. Cao Fundamental Understanding of Magnetic Reconnection via Spiral CT Scan. I. Density, Temperature, Pressure, and Method Validation The Astrophysical Journal Solar magnetic reconnection Space plasmas Plasma physics |
| title | Fundamental Understanding of Magnetic Reconnection via Spiral CT Scan. I. Density, Temperature, Pressure, and Method Validation |
| title_full | Fundamental Understanding of Magnetic Reconnection via Spiral CT Scan. I. Density, Temperature, Pressure, and Method Validation |
| title_fullStr | Fundamental Understanding of Magnetic Reconnection via Spiral CT Scan. I. Density, Temperature, Pressure, and Method Validation |
| title_full_unstemmed | Fundamental Understanding of Magnetic Reconnection via Spiral CT Scan. I. Density, Temperature, Pressure, and Method Validation |
| title_short | Fundamental Understanding of Magnetic Reconnection via Spiral CT Scan. I. Density, Temperature, Pressure, and Method Validation |
| title_sort | fundamental understanding of magnetic reconnection via spiral ct scan i density temperature pressure and method validation |
| topic | Solar magnetic reconnection Space plasmas Plasma physics |
| url | https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/adade7 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT hsfu fundamentalunderstandingofmagneticreconnectionviaspiralctscanidensitytemperaturepressureandmethodvalidation AT zwang fundamentalunderstandingofmagneticreconnectionviaspiralctscanidensitytemperaturepressureandmethodvalidation AT jbcao fundamentalunderstandingofmagneticreconnectionviaspiralctscanidensitytemperaturepressureandmethodvalidation |