ESA Science & Technology - Kinetic Alfvén Wave Turbulence and Transport through a Reconnection Diffusion Region

Publication date: 08 January 2009

Authors: Chaston, C.C. et al.

Journal: Phys. Rev. Lett.
Volume: 102
Issue: 1
ID: 015001
Year: 2009

Copyright: The American Physical Society

We demonstrate from observations that kinetic Alfvén waves may play an important role in facilitating magnetic reconnection. These waves radiate outwards from the diffusion region oblique to the magnetic field in a conelike pattern delimited by the X line separatrices with outward energy fluxes equivalent to that contained in the outstreaming ions. It is shown that the wave vectors reverse across the X and symmetry lines and have a large out of plane component. We estimate that these waves drive significant transport through the diffusion region.