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arXiv · 2412.12717

Spontaneously generated flux ropes in 3-D magnetic reconnection

Shi-Chen Bai·Ruilong Guo·Yuchen Xiao·Quanqi Shi·Zhonghua Yao·Zuyin Pu·Wei-jie Sun·Alexander W. Degeling·Anmin Tian·I. Jonathan Rae·Shutao Yao·Qiu-Gang Zong·Suiyan Fu·Yude Bu·Christopher T. Russell·James L. Burch·Daniel J. Gershman
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Abstract

Magnetic reconnection is the key to explosive phenomena in the universe. The flux rope is crucial in three-dimensional magnetic reconnection theory and are commonly considered to be generated by secondary tearing mode instability. Here we show that the parallel electron flow moving toward the reconnection diffusion region can spontaneously form flux ropes. The electron flows form parallel current tubes in the separatrix region where the observational parameters suggest the tearing and Kelvin-Helmholtz instabilities are suppressed. The spontaneously formed flux ropes could indicate the importance of electron dynamics in a three-dimensional reconnection region.

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Shi-Chen Bai, Ruilong Guo, Yuchen Xiao, Quanqi Shi, Zhonghua Yao, Zuyin Pu, Wei-jie Sun, Alexander W. Degeling, Anmin Tian, I. Jonathan Rae, Shutao Yao, Qiu-Gang Zong, Suiyan Fu, Yude Bu, Christopher T. Russell, James L. Burch, Daniel J. Gershman. 2024-12-17. Spontaneously generated flux ropes in 3-D magnetic reconnection. https://doi.org/10.1029/2024ja033461

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