Energy Dissipation via Magnetic Reconnection Within the Coherent Structures of the Magnetosheath Turbulence

Abstract

Abstract A series of intermittent coherent structures was observed in magnetosheath turbulence in the form of magnetic peaks. These magnetic peaks are always accompanied with enhancement of local current density, and three of them are studied in detail because of their intense current density. Based on the magnetic field signals, magnetic curvatures, and the toroidal magnetic field lines, three peaks are identified as magnetic flux ropes. In each trailing part of these three peaks, an extremely thin electron current layer was embedded within a much broader ion‐scale current layer. The energy dissipation is evident within the peaks and direct evidence of magnetic reconnection was found within the thinnest electron current layer. The electrons were heated mainly in two regions of magnetic peaks, that is, the reconnecting current layer by parallel electric field and the trailing edges by Fermi and betatron mechanisms. These results suggest that the ion‐scale magnetic peaks are coherent structures associated with energy dissipation and electron heating in the magnetosheath. Thin current layers can be formed in magnetic peaks, and magnetic reconnection can play a significant role for the energy dissipation in magnetic peaks.