Intermittent Dissipation at Kinetic Scales in the Turbulent Reconnection Outflow

Based on the unprecedented high-resolution data from the Magnetospheric Multiscale mission, we investigate the energy dissipation in turbulent reconnection outflow during turbulent magnetic reconnection in the terrestrial magnetotail. It is found that this reconnection outflow has plenty of intermittent structures at kinetic scales accompanied by abundant current filaments. Strong energy dissipation occurs in the intermittent structures with a high partial variance of increments index, and the regions with strong current filaments. Further analyses reveal that electron heating with the presence of increase in electron temperature occurs in the intermittent structures and the regions with strong currents. This electron heating is more significant in the component parallel to the magnetic field. Our observations demonstrate that intermittent dissipation at kinetic scales occurs in the turbulent reconnection outflow.

Automated summary

Based on high-resolution data from the Magnetospheric Multiscale mission, this study investigates energy dissipation in turbulent reconnection outflow in the terrestrial magnetotail. The results show intermittent dissipation at kinetic scales in the turbulent reconnection outflow, accompanied by electron heating and an increase in temperature in intermittent structures and regions with strong currents.