Properties of Turbulence in the Reconnection Exhaust: Numerical Simulations Compared with Observations

Pucci, Francesco; Servidio, S.; Sorriso‐Valvo, L.; Olshevsky, Vyacheslav; Matthaeus, W. H.; Malara, F.; Goldman, M. V.; Newman, D. L.; Lapenta, Giovanni

doi:10.3847/1538-4357/aa704f

Cited by 57 publications

(59 citation statements)

References 39 publications

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“…Moreover, spectral properties at the reconnection exhausts consistent with a developed turbulent state were observed in a fully kinetic simulation (Pucci et al. 2017). Finally, recent works (Franci et al.…”

Section: Introduction: Turbulence and Intermittency In Space Plasmasmentioning

confidence: 81%

Multidimensional Iterative Filtering: a new approach for investigating plasma turbulence in numerical simulations

et al. 2020

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Turbulent space and astrophysical plasmas exhibit a complex dynamics, which involves nonlinear coupling across different temporal and spatial scales. There is growing evidence that impulsive events, such as magnetic reconnection instabilities, lead to a spatially localized enhancement of energy dissipation, thus speeding up the energy transfer at small scales. Capturing such a diverse dynamics is challenging. Here, we employ the Multidimensional Iterative Filtering (MIF) method, a novel technique for the analysis of non-stationary multidimensional signals. Unlike other traditional methods (e.g. based on Fourier or wavelet decomposition), MIF does not require any previous assumption on the functional form of the signal to be identified. Using MIF, we carry out a multiscale analysis of Hall-magnetohydrodynamic (HMHD) and hybrid particle-in-cell (HPIC) numerical simulations of decaying plasma turbulence. The results assess the ability of MIF to spatially identify and separate the different scales (the MHD inertial range, the sub-ion kinetic and the dissipation scales) of the plasma dynamics. Furthermore, MIF decomposition allows localized current structures to be detected and their contribution to the statistical and spectral properties of turbulence to be characterized. Overall, MIF arises as a very promising technique for the study of turbulent plasma environments.

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Section: Introduction: Turbulence and Intermittency In Space Plasmasmentioning

confidence: 81%

Multidimensional Iterative Filtering: a new approach for investigating plasma turbulence in numerical simulations

et al. 2020

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“…Contrary to the "classical" view of reconnection energetics, where the conversion of magnetic into kinetic energy happens only in the main reconnection sites (Shay et al 2007), reconnection outflows are now also believed to be regions where the plasma is heated and particles are accelerated (Daughton et al 2011;Lapenta et al 2014Lapenta et al , 2015. It has been shown, both in numerical simulations (Leonardis et al 2013;Pucci et al 2017) and from most recent in-situ observation (Fu et al 2017), that, due to turbulence, energy exchange between fields and particles in the outflows is intermittent. This means that the greatest part of energy transfer happens in low volume-filling, very intense current sheets.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Generation of Turbulence in Colliding Reconnection Jets

Pucci

Matthaeus

Chasapis

et al. 2018

ApJ

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The collision of magnetic reconnection jets is studied by means of a three dimensional numerical simulation at kinetic scale, in the presence of a strong guide field. We show that turbulence develops due to the jets collision producing several current sheets in reconnection outflows, aligned with the guide field direction. The turbulence is mainly twodimensional, with stronger gradients in the plane perpendicular to the guide field and a low wave-like activity in the parallel direction. First, we provide a numerical method to isolate the central turbulent region. Second, we analyze spatial second-order structure function and prove that turbulence is confined in this region. Finally, we compute local magnetic and electric frequency spectra, finding a trend in the sub-ion range that differs from typical cases for which the Taylor hypothesis is valid, as well as wave activity in the range between ion and electron cyclotron frequencies.Our results are relevant to understand observations of reconnection jets collisions in space plasmas.

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“…All these instabilities can cause strong deformation of the flow, leading possibly to turbulence (Pucci et al 2017), energy exchange (Lapenta et al 2016b) and secondary reconnection (Lapenta et al 2015).…”

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confidence: 99%

Nonlinear waves and instabilities leading to secondary reconnection in reconnection outflows

et al. 2018

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Reconnection outflows are regions of intense recent scrutiny, from in situ observations and from simulations. These regions are host to a variety of instabilities and intense energy exchanges, often even superior to the main reconnection site. We report here a number of results drawn from investigation of simulations. First, the outflows are observed to become unstable to drift instabilities. Second, these instabilities lead to the formation of secondary reconnection sites. Third, the secondary processes are responsible for large energy exchanges and particle energization. Finally, the particle distribution function are modified to become non-Maxwellian and include multiple interpenetrating populations. † Email address for correspondence: giovanni.lapenta@kuleuven.be arXiv:1808.08612v1 [physics.space-ph]

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Properties of Turbulence in the Reconnection Exhaust: Numerical Simulations Compared with Observations

Cited by 57 publications

References 39 publications

Multidimensional Iterative Filtering: a new approach for investigating plasma turbulence in numerical simulations

Multidimensional Iterative Filtering: a new approach for investigating plasma turbulence in numerical simulations

Generation of Turbulence in Colliding Reconnection Jets

Nonlinear waves and instabilities leading to secondary reconnection in reconnection outflows

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