Electromagnetic viscosity supported anomalous electric field in the electron diffusion region of collisionless magnetic reconnection

Kinetic-scale electromagnetic fluctuations are frequently observed in the reconnection electron diffusion region. However, their potential to accelerate magnetic reconnection through anomalous effects remains a topic of debate, with a lack of direct in-situ observational evidence. Using the unprecedented high-resolution data from Magnetospheric Multiscale mission, we directly and systematically calculate the secular field-particle energy exchange rate and anomalous electric fields associated with electromagnetic fluctuations within 13 electron diffusion regions observed in Earth's magnetotail. Our findings reveal that the electromagnetic anomalous viscosity is the primary contributor to the anomalous electric field induced by electromagnetic fluctuations within the electron diffusion region. The maximum contribution of the anomalous viscosity can account for up to ~ 20% of the fast reconnection electric field, though it is typically less than 5% in most cases. We further find that locally growing electromagnetic fluctuations tend to accelerate reconnection, while locally damping electromagnetic fluctuations inhibit it. These results offer insights into the coupling between kinetic-scale electromagnetic fluctuations and magnetic reconnection in collisionless plasmas.

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Publication Details

Journal
Nature Communications
Published
2025-11-26
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-65535-z
Primary Topic
Ionosphere and magnetosphere dynamics
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00

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article

Electromagnetic viscosity supported anomalous electric field in the electron diffusion region of collisionless magnetic reconnection

Rongxin Tang, Liangjin Song, Xiaohui Deng, D. B. Graham et al.
Nature Communications
Ionosphere and magnetosphere dynamics
article

Electromagnetic viscosity supported anomalous electric field in the electron diffusion region of collisionless magnetic reconnection

Rongxin Tang, Liangjin Song, Xiaohui Deng, D. B. Graham, H. M. Li, Y. V. Khotyaintsev, Zhihong Zhong, Meng Zhou, Y. Pang
article en

Abstract

Kinetic-scale electromagnetic fluctuations are frequently observed in the reconnection electron diffusion region. However, their potential to accelerate magnetic reconnection through anomalous effects remains a topic of debate, with a lack of direct in-situ observational evidence. Using the unprecedented high-resolution data from Magnetospheric Multiscale mission, we directly and systematically calculate the secular field-particle energy exchange rate and anomalous electric fields associated with electromagnetic fluctuations within 13 electron diffusion regions observed in Earth's magnetotail. Our findings reveal that the electromagnetic anomalous viscosity is the primary contributor to the anomalous electric field induced by electromagnetic fluctuations within the electron diffusion region. The maximum contribution of the anomalous viscosity can account for up to ~ 20% of the fast reconnection electric field, though it is typically less than 5% in most cases. We further find that locally growing electromagnetic fluctuations tend to accelerate reconnection, while locally damping electromagnetic fluctuations inhibit it. These results offer insights into the coupling between kinetic-scale electromagnetic fluctuations and magnetic reconnection in collisionless plasmas.

Nature CommunicationsVol. 16(1)
Swedish Institute of Space Physics (SE), Jiangxi University of Water Resources and Electric Power (CN), Nanchang University (CN), Nanchang Institute of Science & Technology (CN)
National Natural Science Foundation of China
Openalex Percentile: Top 75%
Ionosphere and magnetosphere dynamics
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