Equations of State for Collisionless Guide-Field Reconnection

Abstract

Direct in situ observation of magnetic reconnection in the Earth’s magnetotail as well as kinetic numerical studies have recently shown that the electron pressure in a collisionless reconnection region is strongly anisotropic. This anisotropy is mainly caused by the trapping of electrons in parallel electric fields. We present new equations of state for the parallel and perpendicular pressures for magnetized electrons. This model—derived here and tested against a kinetic simulation—allows a fluid description in a collisionless regime where parallel electric fields and the dynamics of both passing and trapped electrons are essential.