Millisecond observations of nonlinear wave-electron interaction in electron phase space holes Show others and affiliations
2022 (English) In: Physics of Plasmas, ISSN 1070-664X, E-ISSN 1089-7674, Vol. 29, no 1, article id 012309Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]
Electron phase space holes (EHs) associated with electron trapping are commonly observed as bipolar electric field signatures in both space and laboratory plasma. Until recently, it has not been possible to resolve EHs in electron measurements. We report observations of EHs in the plasma sheet boundary layer, here identified as the separatrix region of magnetic reconnection in the magnetotail. The intense EHs are observed together with an electron beam moving toward the X line, showing signs of thermalization. Using the electron drift instrument onboard the satellites of the Magnetospheric Multiscale mission, we make direct millisecond measurements of the electron particle flux associated with individual electron phase space holes. The electron flux is measured at a millisecond cadence in a narrow parallel speed range within that of the trapped electrons. The flux modulations are of order unity and are direct evidence of the strong nonlinear wave-electron interaction that may effectively thermalize beams and contribute to transforming directed drift energy to thermal energy.
Place, publisher, year, edition, pages AIP Publishing , 2022. Vol. 29, no 1, article id 012309
National Category
Fusion, Plasma and Space Physics
Identifiers URN: urn:nbn:se:kth:diva-308665 DOI: 10.1063/5.0073097 ISI: 000748468100001 Scopus ID: 2-s2.0-85124045798 OAI: oai:DiVA.org:kth-308665 DiVA, id: diva2:1638200
Note QC 20220216
2022-02-162022-02-162022-06-25 Bibliographically approved