We investigate particle acceleration in an MHD-scale system of multiple current sheets by performing 2D and 3D MHD simulations combined with a test particle simulation. The system is unstable for the tearing-mode instability, and magnetic islands are produced by magnetic reconnection. Due to the interaction of magnetic islands, the system relaxes to a turbulent state. The 2D (3D) case both yield −5/3 (− 11/3 and −7/3) power-law spectra for magnetic and velocity fluctuations. Particles are efficiently energized by the generated turbulence, and form a power-law tail with an index of −2.2 and −4.2 in the energy distribution function for the 2D and 3D case, respectively. We find more energetic particles outside magnetic islands than inside. We observe super-diffusion in the 2D (∼ t 2.27 ) and 3D (∼ t 1.2 ) case in the energy space of energetic particles.
Particle Acceleration in Magnetic Reconnection with Ad Hoc Pitch-angle Scattering
Abstract Particle acceleration during magnetic reconnection is a long-standing topic in space, solar, and astrophysical plasmas. Recent 3D particle-in-cell simulations of magnetic reconnection show that particles can leave flux ropes due to 3D field-line chaos, allowing particles to access additional acceleration sites, gain more energy through Fermi acceleration, and develop a power-law energy distribution. This 3D effect does not exist in traditional 2D simulations, where particles are artificially confined to magnetic islands due to their restricted motions across field lines. Full 3D simulations, however, are prohibitively expensive for most studies. Here, we attempt to reproduce 3D results in 2D simulations by introducing ad hoc pitch-angle scattering to a small fraction of the particles. We show that scattered particles are able to transport out of 2D islands and achieve more efficient Fermi acceleration, leading to a significant increase of energetic particle flux. We also study how the scattering frequency influences the nonthermal particle spectra. This study helps achieve a complete picture of particle acceleration in magnetic reconnection.
- Award ID(s):
- 2109154
- Publication Date:
- NSF-PAR ID:
- 10351959
- Journal Name:
- The Astrophysical Journal
- Volume:
- 933
- Issue:
- 1
- Page Range or eLocation-ID:
- 73
- ISSN:
- 0004-637X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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- Publisher's Version of Record
- https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/ac7143
