Effective Proton Heating through Collisionless Driven Reconnection in the Presence of Guide Field

Abstract

The plasma heating mechanism during magnetic reconnection in the presence of guide magnetic field is investigated by means of particle simulations and test particle simulations. Particle simulations demonstrate that ring-like structures of ion velocity distributions are formed in the downstream, where a large percentage of ions are effectively heated. Furthermore, a single ion motion is focused upon by using test particle simulations. The ion moves in the downstream direction owing to the E × B drift while in gyromotion. Finally, it is reported that the profile of the ion temperature obtained by the particle simulation fits well with the profile observed in the TS-3 experiment.