Non-linear Waves and Instabilities Leading to Secondary Reconnection in Reconnection Outflows

TL;DR

This paper investigates the complex dynamics of reconnection outflows, revealing how drift instabilities lead to secondary reconnection, significant energy exchange, and non-Maxwellian particle distributions, based on simulation studies.

Contribution

It demonstrates the formation of secondary reconnection sites due to drift instabilities in reconnection outflows, highlighting their role in energy transfer and particle energization.

Findings

Outflows become unstable to drift instabilities.

Secondary reconnection sites form due to these instabilities.

Particle distributions become non-Maxwellian with multiple populations.

Abstract

Reconnection outflows are regions of intense recent scrutiny, from in situ observations and from simulations. These regions are host to a variety of instabilities and intense energy exchanges, often even superior to the main reconnection site. We report here a number of results drawn from investigation of simulations. First, the outflows are observed to become unstable to drift instabilities. Second, these instabilities lead to the formation of secondary reconnection sites. Third, the secondary processes are responsible for large energy exchanges and particle energization. Finally, the particle distribution function are modified to become non-Maxwellian and include multiple interpenetrating populations.