Search

Using observations from the Solar Dynamics Observatory's Atmosphere Imaging Assembly and the Ramaty High Energy Solar Spectroscopic Imager, we present novel measurements of the shear of post-reconnection flare loops (PRFLs) in SOL20141218T21:40 and study its evolution with respect to magnetic reconnection and flare emission. Two quasi-parallel ribbons form adjacent to the magnetic polarity inversion line (PIL), spreading in time first parallel to the PIL and then mostly in a perpendicular direction. We measure magnetic reconnection rate from the ribbon evolution, and also the shear angle of a large number of PRFLs observed in extreme ultraviolet passbands ($\lesssim$1 MK). For the first time, the shear angle measurements are conducted using several complementary techniques allowing for a cross-validation of the results. In this flare, the total reconnection rate is much enhanced before a sharp increase of the hard X-ray emission, and the median shear decreases from 60$^\circ$-70$^\circ$ to 20$^\circ$, on a time scale of ten minutes. We find a correlation between the shear-modulated total reconnection rate and the non-thermal electron flux. These results confirm the strong-to-weak shear evolution suggested in previous observational studies and reproduced in numerical models, and also confirm that, in this flare, reconnection is not an efficient producer of energetic non-thermal electrons during the first ten minutes when the strongly sheared PRFLs are formed. We conclude that an intermediate shear angle, $\le 40^\circ$, is needed for efficient particle acceleration via reconnection, and we propose a theoretical interpretation., 19 pages, 10 figures

The fast solar wind that fills the heliosphere originates from deep within regions of open magnetic field on the Sun called coronal holes. The energy source responsible for accelerating the plasma to high speeds is widely debated, however there is evidence that it is ultimately magnetic in nature with candidate mechanisms including wave heating^(1,2) and interchange reconnection^(3,4,5). The coronal magnetic field near the solar surface is structured on scales associated with supergranulation convection cells, where descending flows create intense fields. The energy density in these network magnetic field bundles is a likely candidate as an energy source of the wind. Here we report measurements of fast solar wind streams from the Parker Solar Probe (PSP) spacecraft^6 which provides strong evidence for the interchange reconnection mechanism. We show that supergranulation structure at the coronal hole base remains imprinted in the near-Sun solar wind resulting in asymmetric patches of magnetic 'switchbacks'^(7,8) and bursty wind streams with power law-like energetic ion spectra to beyond 100 keV. Computer simulations of interchange reconnection support key features of the observations, including the ion spectra. Important characteristics of interchange reconnection in the low corona are inferred from the data including that the reconnection is collisionless and that the energy release rate is sufficient to power the fast wind. In this scenario, open magnetic flux undergoes continuous reconnection and the wind is driven both by the resulting plasma pressure and the radial Alfvenic flow bursts., 15 pages, 4 figures. Nature, 2023

A variety of energy sources, ranging from dynamic processes like magnetic reconnection and waves to quasi-steady terms like the plasma pressure, may contribute to the acceleration of the solar wind. We utilize a combination of charged particle and magnetic field observations from the Parker Solar Probe (PSP) to attempt to quantify the steady-state contribution of the proton pressure, the electric potential, and the wave energy to the solar wind proton acceleration observed by PSP between 13.3 and ~100 solar radii (RS). The proton pressure provides a natural kinematic driver of the outflow. The ambipolar electric potential acts to couple the electron pressure to the protons, providing another definite proton acceleration term. Fluctuations and waves, while inherently dynamic, can act as an additional effective steady-state pressure term. To analyze the contributions of these terms, we utilize radial binning of single-point PSP measurements, as well as repeated crossings of the same stream at different distances on individual PSP orbits (i.e. "fast radial scans"). In agreement with previous work, we find that the electric potential contains sufficient energy to fully explain the acceleration of the slower wind streams. On the other hand, we find that the wave pressure plays an increasingly important role in the faster wind streams. The combination of these terms can explain the continuing acceleration of both slow and fast wind streams beyond 13.3 RS.

One of the striking observations from the Parker Solar Probe (PSP) spacecraft is the prevalence in the inner heliosphere of large amplitude, Alfv��nic magnetic field reversals termed 'switchbacks'. These $��B_R/B \sim \mathcal{O}(1$) fluctuations occur on a range of timescales and in {\em patches} separated by intervals of quiet, radial magnetic field. We use measurements from PSP to demonstrate that patches of switchbacks are localized within the extensions of plasma structures originating at the base of the corona. These structures are characterized by an increase in alpha particle abundance, Mach number, plasma $��$ and pressure, and by depletions in the magnetic field magnitude and electron temperature. These intervals are in pressure-balance, implying stationary spatial structure, and the field depressions are consistent with overexpanded flux tubes. The structures are asymmetric in Carrington longitude with a steeper leading edge and a small ($\sim$1$^\circ$) edge of hotter plasma and enhanced magnetic field fluctuations. Some structures contain suprathermal ions to $\sim$85 keV that we argue are the energetic tail of the solar wind alpha population. The structures are separated in longitude by angular scales associated with supergranulation. This suggests that these switchbacks originate near the leading edge of the diverging magnetic field funnels associated with the network magnetic field - the primary wind sources. We propose an origin of the magnetic field switchbacks, hot plasma and suprathermals, alpha particles in interchange reconnection events just above the solar transition region and our measurements represent the extended regions of a turbulent outflow exhaust., 18 pages, 9 figures, submitted to Astrophys. J

Transport equations for electron thermal energy in the high $\beta_e$ intracluster medium (ICM) are developed that include scattering from both classical collisions and self-generated whistler waves. The calculation employs an expansion of the kinetic electron equation along the ambient magnetic field in the limit of strong scattering and assumes whistler waves with low phase speeds $V_w\sim{v}_{te}/\beta_e\ll{v}_{te}$ dominate the turbulent spectrum, with $v_{te}$ the electron thermal speed and $\beta_e\gg1$ the ratio of electron thermal to magnetic pressure. We find: (1) temperature-gradient-driven whistlers dominate classical scattering when $L_c>L/\beta_e$, with $L_c$ the classical electron mean-free-path and $L$ the electron temperature scale length, and (2) in the whistler dominated regime the electron thermal flux is controlled by both advection at $V_w$ and a comparable diffusive term. The findings suggest whistlers limit electron heat flux over large regions of the ICM, including locations unstable to isobaric condensation. Consequences include: (1) the Field length decreases, extending the domain of thermal instability to smaller length-scales, (2) the heat flux temperature dependence changes from $T_e^{7/2}/L$ to $V_wnT_e\sim{T}_e^{1/2}$, (3) the magneto-thermal and heat-flux driven buoyancy instabilities are impaired or completely inhibited, and (4) sound waves in the ICM propagate greater distances, as inferred from observations. This description of thermal transport can be used in macroscale ICM models., Comment: Accepted for publication in The Astrophysical Journal

著者人数: 27名, Accepted: 2019-01-15, 資料番号: SA1180269000

Observations by the Parker Solar Probe mission of the solar wind at about 35 solar radii reveal the existence of whistler wave packets with frequencies below 0.1fce (20-150 Hz in the spacecraft frame). These waves bursts often coincide with local minima of the magnetic field magnitude observed in the vicinity of the switchbacks boundaries. The Poynting flux indicates sunward propagation that leads to a significant Doppler frequency downshift from 200-300 Hz to 20-80 Hz (from 0.2fce to 0.5fce). The polarization of these waves varies from quasi-parallel to significantly oblique. Their peak amplitude can be as large as 1-4 nT (up to 20% of the background magnetic field magnitude). The generation of these waves is supported by the modified electron distribution with increased transverse temperature anisotropy inside the magnetic hole. Sunward propagating whistler waves scatter the high energy solar wind electrons in the energy range up to 1 keV and potentially play a significant role in breaking the heat flux and scattering the Strahl population of suprathermal electrons into a halo population.

Transport equations for electron thermal energy in the high $��_e$ intracluster medium (ICM) are developed that include scattering from both classical collisions and self-generated whistler waves. The calculation employs an expansion of the kinetic electron equation along the ambient magnetic field in the limit of strong scattering and assumes whistler waves with low phase speeds $V_w\sim{v}_{te}/��_e\ll{v}_{te}$ dominate the turbulent spectrum, with $v_{te}$ the electron thermal speed and $��_e\gg1$ the ratio of electron thermal to magnetic pressure. We find: (1) temperature-gradient-driven whistlers dominate classical scattering when $L_c>L/��_e$, with $L_c$ the classical electron mean-free-path and $L$ the electron temperature scale length, and (2) in the whistler dominated regime the electron thermal flux is controlled by both advection at $V_w$ and a comparable diffusive term. The findings suggest whistlers limit electron heat flux over large regions of the ICM, including locations unstable to isobaric condensation. Consequences include: (1) the Field length decreases, extending the domain of thermal instability to smaller length-scales, (2) the heat flux temperature dependence changes from $T_e^{7/2}/L$ to $V_wnT_e\sim{T}_e^{1/2}$, (3) the magneto-thermal and heat-flux driven buoyancy instabilities are impaired or completely inhibited, and (4) sound waves in the ICM propagate greater distances, as inferred from observations. This description of thermal transport can be used in macroscale ICM models., Accepted for publication in The Astrophysical Journal

Kinetic particle-in-cell simulations are used to identify signatures of the electron diffusion region (EDR) and its surroundings during asymmetric magnetic reconnection. A "shoulder" in the sunward pointing normal electric field (EN > 0) at the reconnection magnetic field reversal is a good indicator of the EDR, and is caused by magnetosheath electron meandering orbits in the vicinity of the x-line. Earthward of the X-line, electrons accelerated by EN form strong currents and crescent-shaped distribution functions in the plane perpendicular to B. Just downstream of the X-line, parallel electric fields create field-aligned crescent electron distribution functions. In the immediate upstream magnetosheath, magnetic field strength, plasma density, and perpendicular electron temperatures are lower than the asymptotic state. In the magnetosphere inflow region, magnetosheath ions intrude resulting in an Earthward pointing electric field and parallel heating of magnetospheric particles. Many of the above properties persist with a guide field of at least unity., Submitted to Geophysical Research Letters

Kinetic Riemann simulations have been completed to explore particle heating during guide field reconnection in the low-$��$ environment of the inner heliosphere and the solar corona. The reconnection exhaust is bounded by two rotational discontinuities (RD) and two slow shocks (SS) form within the exhaust as in magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) models. At the RDs, ions are accelerated by the magnetic field tension to drive the reconnection outflow as well as flows in the out-of-plane direction. The out-of-plane flows stream toward the midplane and meet to drive the SSs. The SSs differ greatly from those in the MHD model. The turbulence at the shock fronts and both upstream and downstream is weak so the shocks are laminar and produce little dissipation. Downstream of the SSs the counterstreaming ion beams lead to higher density, which leads to a positive potential between the SSs that acts to confine the downstream electrons to maintain charge neutrality. The potential accelerates electrons from upstream of the SSs to downstream region and traps a small fraction but only modestly increases the downstream electron temperature above the upstream value. In the low-$��$ limit the released magnetic energy is split between bulk flow and ion heating with little energy going to electrons. That the model does not produce strong electron heating nor an energetic electron component suggests that other mechanisms, such as multiple x-line reconnection, are required to explain energetic electron production in large flares. The model can be tested with the expected data from the Parker Solar Probe., Some figures' quality is downgraded due to the size limit of arXiv

The NASA Parker Solar Probe mission has made its first set of solar encounters at 35.7 solar radii. The first encounters reveal a solar wind rich in instabilities and kinetic physics. The FIELDS instrument on PSP measures copious, intermittent burstsof electron plasma (Langmuir) waves throughout Encounters 1 and 2. These waves are purely electrostatic, to the sensitivity of the measurement, and have wave (electric field) vectors aligned with the solar wind magnetic field. We suggest that these Langmuir waves are generated on a Landau resonance by electron beams with beam speeds of 5-10 v_th. The duration of the bursts suggests beams of ~100-10000 km across the magnetic field. We examine the statistics and occurence conditions. Langmuir waves during Encounter 1 are definitively not associated with solar type III radio bursts. FIELDS also measures signatures of ion cyclotron waves and kinetic scale turbulence, with indications for energy exchange processes in the inner corona.

The role of turbulence in low-$��$, guide-field reconnection exhausts is explored in 2D reconnection and 2D and 3D Riemann simulations. The structure of the exhaust and associated turbulence is controlled by a pair of rotational discontinuities (RDs) at the exhaust boundary and a pair of slow shocks (SSs) that are generated by counterstreaming ions beams. In 2D the exhaust develops large-amplitude striations at the ion Larmor radius scale that are produced by electron-beam-driven ion cyclotron waves. The electron beams driving the instability are injected into the exhaust from one of the RDs. However, in 3D Riemann simulations, the additional dimension (in the out-of-plane direction) results in strong Buneman and electron-electron streaming instabilities at the RD which suppress electron beam formation and therefore the striations in the exhaust. The strength of the streaming instabilities at the RD are controlled by the ratio of the electron thermal speed to Alfv��n speed, lower thermal speed being more unstable. In the 3D simulations an ion-ion streaming instability acts to partially thermalize the counterstreaming ion beams at the SSs. This instability is controlled by the ratio of the sound speed to Alfv��n speed and is expected to be stable in the low $��$ solar corona. The results suggest that in a guide field reconnection exhaust with $1 \gg ��> m_e/m_i$, the kinetic-scale turbulence that develops will be too weak to play a significant role in energy conversion and particle acceleration. Therefore, the energy conversion will be mostly controlled by laminar physics or multi-x-line reconnection.

Convection and rotation drive the solar dynamo and, ultimately, provide the mechanical energy flux required to heat the solar corona and accelerate the solar wind. However, the way in which energy is then dissipated to heat the corona and wind are not well understood. Some energization models invoke non-thermal energy flux imparted by plasma Alfvén waves, while others rely on a carpet of small nano-flares as energy input, however these models have been unconstrained by direct measurements of the solar wind near its origin. Here we use in situ measurements from the FIELDS instrument suite during the first solar encounter (E1) at 35.7 solar radii (Rs) of the NASA Parker Solar Probe (PSP) mission to reveal the magnetic structure and kinetics of slow Alfvénic solar wind emerging from a small, equatorial coronal hole. Our measurements show that, at solar minimum, the slow wind can escape from above the low-lying, complex magnetic structures of the equatorial streamer belt, carrying a magnetic field that is highly dynamic, exhibiting polarity reversals on timescales from seconds to hours. These rapidly oscillating field structures are associated with clustered radial jets of plasma in which the energy flux is dramatically enhanced and turbulence levels are higher. Time intervals between groups of jets indicate a solar wind that is steady with a mostly radial magnetic field and relatively low levels of Alfvénic turbulent fluctuations. This 'quiet' wind however shows clear signatures of plasma micro-instabilities associated with ion and electron beams and velocity-space structure.

International audience; Observations by the Van Allen Probes and THEMIS provide high-quality ELF/VLF measurements of wave electric field that revealed the new nonlinear electron scales features in the outer radiation. The process of chorus generation significantly modify the local electron distribution function leading to forming the field aligned electron flux. The parallel electric field component of whistler-mode waves provides trapping of hot electrons into the effective potential and in inhomogeneous systems such as the dipole-like geomagnetic field allow an efficient parallel acceleration up to ~20-200 keV eventually leading to bursty precipitation (observed as microbursts at ionospheric altitudes). The mechanisms that produce nonlinear electric field structures, including the nonlinear evolution of oblique whistler-mode waves due to electron trapping and the parametric interaction of whistler waves have been determined. Important nonlinear processes responsible for rapid particle acceleration or scattering, with a significant effect on the global dynamics of the outer radiation belt, are: generation of chorus waves and corresponding generation of field aligned electron flux; whistler-mode waves with a large parallel electrostatic component providing Landau trapping into the wave effective potential with rapid parallel acceleration and possible bursty precipitation; lower energy electron population and filed aligned beams provide the possibility for nonlinear wave-wave coupling of whistlers and generation of electron acoustic mode and localized electric field bursts; nonlinear wave-particle interactions with oblique whistlers influence the global dynamics of the electron distribution in the outer radiation belt leading to separate observations of intense very oblique and parallel chorus in the outer radiation belt.

International audience

International audience

International audience; Observations by the Van Allen Probes and THEMIS provide high-quality ELF/VLF measurements of wave electric field that revealed the new nonlinear electron scales features in the outer radiation belt, important for particle acceleration and scattering and showing the influence of nonlinear wave-particle interactions on the energetic electron distribution over macroscopic spatial scales. The parallel electric field component of whistler-mode waves provides trapping of hot electrons into the effective potential and in inhomogeneous systems such as the dipole-like geomagnetic field allow an efficient parallel acceleration up to 20-200 keV eventually leading to bursty precipitation (observed as microbursts at ionospheric altitudes). The mechanisms that produce nonlinear electric field structures, including the nonlinear evolution of oblique whistler-mode waves due to electron trapping and the parametric interaction of whistler waves have been determined. Important nonlinear processes responsible for rapid particle acceleration or scattering, with a significant effect on the global dynamics of the outer radiation belt, are listed below: - the distribution of high amplitude whistler-mode waves (oblique and parallel) and resonant electron distribution function features in the outer radiation belt are connected self-consistently; - whistler-mode waves with a large parallel electrostatic component (up to 100 mV/m) may allow Landau trapping of hot electrons into the wave effective potential with rapid parallel acceleration and possible bursty precipitation; - a prevalence of the hot electron population provides the possibility of generating an electron acoustic mode, and corresponding mechanisms of nonlinear wave-wave coupling lead to the formation of nonlinear parallel electric field bursts from oblique whistlers; - nonlinear wave-particle interactions with oblique whistlers influence the global dynamics of the electron distribution in the outer radiation belt leading to separate observations of intense very oblique and parallel chorus in the outer radiation belt.

著者人数: 31名, Accepted: 2018-01-30, 資料番号: SA1180001000

International audience; Observations of magnetic reconnection at Earth's magnetopause often display asymmetric structures that are accompanied by strong magnetic field (B) fluctuations and large-amplitude parallel electric fields (E||). The B turbulence is most intense at frequencies above the ion cyclotron frequency and below the lower hybrid frequency. The B fluctuations are consistent with a thin, oscillating current sheet that is corrugated along the electron flow direction (along the X line), which is a type of electromagnetic drift wave. Near the X line, electron flow is primarily due to a Hall electric field, which diverts ion flow in asymmetric reconnection and accompanies the instability. Importantly, the drift waves appear to drive strong parallel currents which, in turn, generate large-amplitude ( 100 mV/m) E|| in the form of nonlinear waves and structures. These observations suggest that turbulence may be common in asymmetric reconnection, penetrate into the electron diffusion region, and possibly influence the magnetic reconnection process.

Accepted: 2014-09-26, 資料番号: SA1005062000

著者人数: 88名, Accepted: 2014-01-24, 資料番号: SA1140010000

Accepted: 2013-08-28, 資料番号: SA1004594000

Data from the NASA Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) mission are used to investigate asymmetric magnetic reconnection at the dayside boundary between the Earth's magnetosphere and the solar wind (the magnetopause). High-resolution measurements of plasmas, electric and magnetic fields, and waves are used to identify highly localized (~15 electron Debye lengths) standing wave structures with large electric-field amplitudes (up to 100 mV/m). These wave structures are associated with spatially oscillatory dissipation, which appears as alternatingly positive and negative values of J dot E (dissipation). For small guide magnetic fields the wave structures occur in the electron stagnation region at the magnetosphere edge of the EDR. For larger guide fields the structures also occur near the reconnection x-line. This difference is explained in terms of channels for the out-of-plane current (agyrotropic electrons at the stagnation point and guide-field-aligned electrons at the x-line).

Accepted: 2012-11-29, 資料番号: SA1004871000

©2016. American Geophysical Union. All Rights Reserved.We report observations from the Magnetospheric Multiscale satellites of large-amplitude, parallel, electrostatic waves associated with magnetic reconnection at the Earths magnetopause. The observed waves have parallel electric fields (E||) with amplitudes on the order of 100 mV/m and display nonlinear characteristics that suggest a possible net E||. These waves are observed within the ion diffusion region and adjacent to (within several electron skin depths) the electron diffusion region. They are in or near the magnetosphere side current layer. Simulation results support that the strong electrostatic linear and nonlinear wave activities appear to be driven by a two stream instability, which is a consequence of mixing cold (

著者人数: 30名, Accepted: 2016-05-09, 資料番号: SA1160276000

著者人数: 30名, Accepted: 2016-06-03, 資料番号: SA1160277000

Understanding the thermodynamic state of the hot intracluster medium (ICM) in a galaxy cluster requires a knowledge of the plasma transport processes, especially thermal conduction. The basic physics of thermal conduction in plasmas with ICM-like conditions has yet to be elucidated, however. We use particle-in-cell simulations and analytic models to explore the dynamics of an ICM-like plasma (with small gyroradius, large mean-free-path, and strongly sub-dominant magnetic pressure) driven by the diffusive heat flux associated with thermal conduction. Lin- ear theory reveals that whistler waves are driven unstable electron heat flux, even when the heat flux is weak. The resonant interaction of electrons with these waves then plays a critical role in scattering electrons and suppressing the heat flux. In a 1D model where only whistler modes that are parallel to the magnetic field are captured, the only resonant electrons are moving in the opposite direction to the heat flux and the electron heat flux suppression is small. In 2D or more, oblique whistler modes also resonate with electrons moving in the direction of the heat flux. The overlap of resonances leads to effective symmetrization of the electron distribution function and a strong suppression of heat flux. The results suggest that thermal conduction in the ICM might be strongly suppressed, possibly to negligible levels., 8 pages, 4 figures. To be published in ApJ Letters

Kinetic simulations of 3D collisionless magnetic reconnection with a guide field show a dramatic enhancement of energetic electron production when compared with 2D systems. In the 2D systems, electrons are trapped in magnetic islands that limit their energy gain, whereas in the 3D systems the filamentation of the current layer leads to a stochastic magnetic field that enables the electrons to access volume-filling acceleration regions. The dominant accelerator of the most energetic electrons is a Fermi-like mechanism associated with reflection of charged particles from contracting field lines., 13 pages, 4 figures

The physical processes that control the partition of released magnetic energy between electrons and ions during reconnection is explored through particle-in-cell simulations and analytical techniques. We demonstrate that the development of a large-scale parallel electric field and its associated potential controls the relative heating of electrons and ions. The potential develops to restrain heated exhaust electrons and enhances their heating by confining electrons in the region where magnetic energy is released. Simultaneously the potential slows ions entering the exhaust below the Alfv\'enic speed expected from the traditional counterstreaming picture of ion heating. Unexpectedly, the magnitude of the potential and therefore the relative partition of energy between electrons and ions is not a constant but rather depends on the upstream parameters and specifically the upstream electron normalized temperature (electron beta). These findings suggest that the fraction of magnetic energy converted into the total thermal energy may be independent of upstream parameters.

The propagation of reconnection signatures and their associated energy are examined using kinetic particle-in-cell simulations and Cluster satellite observations. It is found that the quadrupolar out-of-plane magnetic field near the separatrices is associated with a kinetic Alfv\'en wave. For magnetotail parameters, the parallel propagation of this wave is super-Alfv\'enic (V_parallel ~ 1500 - 5500 km/s) and generates substantial Poynting flux (S ~ 10^-5 - 10^-4 W/m^2) consistent with Cluster observations of magnetic reconnection. This Poynting flux substantially exceeds that due to frozen-in ion bulk outflows and is sufficient to generate white light aurora in the Earth's ionosphere., Comment: Submitted to PRL on 11/1/2010. Resubmitted on 4/5/2011

The propagation of reconnection signatures and their associated energy are examined using kinetic particle-in-cell simulations and Cluster satellite observations. It is found that the quadrupolar out-of-plane magnetic field near the separatrices is associated with a kinetic Alfv��n wave. For magnetotail parameters, the parallel propagation of this wave is super-Alfv��nic (V_parallel ~ 1500 - 5500 km/s) and generates substantial Poynting flux (S ~ 10^-5 - 10^-4 W/m^2) consistent with Cluster observations of magnetic reconnection. This Poynting flux substantially exceeds that due to frozen-in ion bulk outflows and is sufficient to generate white light aurora in the Earth's ionosphere., Submitted to PRL on 11/1/2010. Resubmitted on 4/5/2011

Using particle-in-cell simulations and kinetic theory, we explore the current-driven turbulence and associated electron heating in the dissipation region during 3D magnetic reconnection with a guide field. At late time the turbulence is dominated by the Buneman and lower hybrid instabilities. Both produce electron holes that co-exist but have very different propagation speeds. The associated scattering of electrons by the holes enhances electron heating in the dissipation region., 14 pages, 5 figures, submitted to GRL

The recent observations of the anomalous cosmic ray (ACR) energy spectrum as Voyagers 1 and 2 crossed the heliospheric termination shock have called into question the conventional shock source of these energetic particles. We suggest that the sectored heliospheric magnetic field, which results from the flapping of the heliospheric current sheet, piles up as it approaches the heliopause, narrowing the current sheets that separate the sectors and triggering the onset of collisionless magnetic reconnection. Particle-in-cell simulations reveal that most of the magnetic energy is released and most of this energy goes into energetic ions with significant but smaller amounts of energy going into electrons. The energy gain of the most energetic ions results from their reflection from the ends of contracting magnetic islands, a first order Fermi process. The energy gain of the ions in contracting islands increases their parallel (to the magnetic field ${\bf B}$) pressure $p_\parallel$ until the marginal firehose condition is reached, causing magnetic reconnection and associated particle acceleration to shut down. The model calls into question the strong scattering assumption used to derive the Parker transport equation and therefore the absence of first order Fermi acceleration in incompressible flows. A simple 1-D model for particle energy gain and loss is presented in which the feedback of the energetic particles on the reconnection drive is included. The ACR differential energy spectrum takes the form of a power law with a spectral index slightly above 1.5. The model has the potential to explain several key Voyager observations, including the similarities in the spectra of different ion species., Comment: Submitted to ApJ; shortened abstract; degraded figure quality

We present particle-in-cell simulations of collisionless magnetic reconnection in a system (like the magnetopause) with a large density asymmetry across the current layer. In the presence of an ambient component of the magnetic field perpendicular to the reconnection plane the gradient creates a diamagnetic drift that advects the X-line with the electron diamagnetic velocity. When the relative drift between the ions and electrons is of the order the Alfven speed the large scale outflows from the X-line necessary for fast reconnection cannot develop and the reconnection is suppressed. We discuss how these effects vary with both the plasma beta and the shear angle of the reconnecting field and discuss observational evidence for diamagnetic stabilization at the magnetopause., 10 pages, 10 figures; accepted by JGR; agu2001.cls and agu.bst included

NASA's Solar Probe Plus (SPP) mission will make the first in situ measurements of the solar corona and the birthplace of the solar wind. The FIELDS instrument suite on SPP will make direct measurements of electric and magnetic fields, the properties of in situ plasma waves, electron density and temperature profiles, and interplanetary radio emissions, amongst other things. Here, we describe the scientific objectives targeted by the SPP/FIELDS instrument, the instrument design itself, and the instrument concept of operations and planned data products. QC 20190624

Dictyostelium discoideum and Escherichia coli were aerobically propagated in mixed continuous culture in a predator-prey relationship, and the effects of temperature and holding times were examined. Oscillations developed in the concentration of glucose, the limiting substrate for E. coli, and in the densities of the two populations, but eventually steady-state populations were reached. The experimental data were analyzed according to the Lotka-Volterra model for prey-predator relationships and by the Monod model for saturation kinetics. A comparison of the adequacy of the two models in describing predation is given.

During the solar minimum, when the Sun is at its least active, the solar wind is observed at high latitudes as a predominantly fast (more than 500 kilometres per second), highly Alfvénic rarefied stream of plasma originating from deep within coronal holes. Closer to the ecliptic plane, the solar wind is interspersed with a more variable slow wind of less than 500 kilometres per second. The precise origins of the slow wind streams are less certain; theories and observations suggest that they may originate at the tips of helmet streamers from interchange reconnection near coronal hole boundaries or within coronal holes with highly diverging magnetic fields. The heating mechanism required to drive the solar wind is also unresolved, although candidate mechanisms include Alfvén-wave turbulence heating by reconnection in nanoflares ion cyclotron wave heating and acceleration by thermal gradients. At a distance of one astronomical unit, the wind is mixed and evolved, and therefore much of the diagnostic structure of these sources and processes has been lost. Here we present observations from the Parker Solar Probe at 36 to 54 solar radii that show evidence of slow Alfvénic solar wind emerging from a small equatorial coronal hole. The measured magnetic field exhibits patches of large, intermittent reversals that are associated with jets of plasma and enhanced Poynting flux and that are interspersed in a smoother and less turbulent flow with a near-radial magnetic field. Furthermore, plasma-wave measurements suggest the existence of electron and ion velocity-space micro-instabilities that are associated with plasma heating and thermalization processes. Our measurements suggest that there is an impulsive mechanism associated with solar-wind energization and that micro-instabilities play a part in heating, and we provide evidence that low-latitude coronal holes are a key source of the slow solar wind.