Test particle studies of acceleration at a 3D reconnection site

P K Browning and S Dalla

The acceleration of charged particles is a significant feature of
reconnection; the presence and properties of high energy can be used to
daignise reconnection. We use a test particle approach to investigate
the acceleration of charged particles at a three dimensional null point
magnetic field with a strong electric field associated with fast
reconnection.  As shown previously  for two dimensional X point
configurations,
(Browning and Vekstein, 2001), particles can gain signifcant
kinetic energy parallel to the magnetic field due to the interaction
of electric drift with fieldline curvature and inhomogeneity. The energy of
the ejected particles depends strongly on the spatial location at
which they are injected to the reconnection site.