New Insights on Particle Acceleration during Magnetic Reconnection in the Universe
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Postdoctoral Research Associate
Los Alamos National Laboratory
Magnetic reconnection sites have long been expected to be sources of high-energy particles. Recent observations of planetary magnetotails, solar flares and gamma-ray flares from the Crab nebula have motivated us to better understand magnetic reconnection and its associated particle acceleration. I will present 2D and 3D fully kinetic simulations of magnetic reconnection in the highly magnetized regime. The magnetic energy is converted efficiently into kinetic energy of nonthermal relativistic particles in a power-law spectrum. I will highlight our new understandings on several key issues including the main acceleration mechanism, the formation of power-law distribution, and the effect of 3D turbulence on the production of nonthermal particles. These indicate that nonthermal distribution may be a common feature of magnetically dominated reconnection in the universe.
Host: Dr. Joe Giacalone