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Ann. Geophys., 23, 3365-3373, 2005
www.ann-geophys.net/23/3365/2005/
© European Geosciences Union 2005
Energy release and conversion by reconnection in the magnetotail
J. Birn1 and M. Hesse2
1Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico, USA
2NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland, USA
Abstract. Magnetic reconnection is the crucial process in the release of magnetic energy
previously stored in the magnetotail in association with substorms. However, energy
transfer and dissipation in the vicinity of the reconnection site is only a minor part of
the energy conversion. We discuss the energy release, transport, and conversion based on
large-scale resistive MHD simulations of magnetotail dynamics and more localized full
particle simulations of reconnection. We address in particular, where the energy is
released, how it propagates and where and how it is converted from one form into another.
We find that Joule (or ohmic) dissipation plays only a minor role in the overall energy
transfer. Bulk kinetic energy, although locally significant in the outflow from the
reconnection site, plays a more important role as mediator or catalyst in the transfer
between magnetic and thermal energy. Generator regions with potential auroral
consequences are located primarily off the equatorial plane in the boundary regions of
the plasma sheet.
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