Particle-in-cell simulation of collisionless driven reconnection with open boundaries

First results are discussed from an ongoing study of driven collisionless reconnection using a 21/2-dimensional electromagnetic particle-in-cell simulation model with open inflow and outflow boundaries An extended electron diffusion region (EEDR) is defined as that region surrounding a reconnecting neutral line in which the out-of-plane nonideal electric field is positive It is shown that the boundaries of this region in the directions of the outflow jets are at the positions where the electrons make the transition from unfrozen meandering motion in the current sheet to outward drifting with the magnetic field in the outflow jets, a turning length scale is defined to mark these positions The initial width of the EEDR in the inflow directions is comparable to the electron bounce width Later as shoulders develop to form a two-scale structure, the EEDR width expands to the ion bounce width scale The inner portion of the EEDR or the electron diffusion region proper remains at the electron bounce width Two methods are introduced for predicting the reconnection electric field using the dimensions of the EEDR These results are interpreted as further evidence that the EEDR is the region that is relevant to understanding the electron role in the neutral line vicinity (C) 2010 American Institute of Physics [doi:10.1063/1.3510480]