Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 15, 2025

Building Langmuir Probes and Emissive Probes for Plasma Potential Measurements in Low Pressure, Low Temperature Plasmas
Published on: May 25, 2021
Fast Ion Isotropization by Current Sheet Scattering in Magnetic Reconnection Jets
Louis Richard1, Yuri V Khotyaintsev2, Daniel B Graham2
1Swedish Institute of Space Physics, Uppsala 751 21, Sweden and Department of Physics and Astronomy, Space and Plasma Physics, Uppsala University, Uppsala 751 20, Sweden.
Abstract:
We present a statistical analysis of ion distributions in magnetic reconnection jets using data from the Magnetospheric Multiscale spacecraft. Compared with the quiet plasma in which the jet propagates, we often find anisotropic and non-Maxwellian ion distributions in the plasma jets. We observe magnetic field fluctuations associated with unstable ion distributions, but the wave amplitudes are not large enough to scatter ions during the observed travel time of the jet. We estimate that the phase-space diffusion due to chaotic and quasiadiabatic ion motion in the current sheet is sufficiently fast to be the primary process leading to isotropization.
Related Concept Videos
Magnetic Force Between Two Parallel Currents
The force exerted by the magnetic field due to the first conductor over a finite length of the second conductor is given as the product of the current in the second conductor and the vector product of the length vector along the current element and the field due to the first conductor. According to the...
Magnetic Field Of A Current Loop
Potential Due to a Magnetized Object
The vector...
Magnetostatic Boundary Conditions
Atomic Nuclei: Nuclear Relaxation Processes
Plane Electromagnetic Waves II

