Numerical studies on three-dimensional earthward fast plasma flows in the near-Earth plasma sheet by the spontaneous fast reconnection model

Abstract

The spontaneous fast reconnection model is applied to the earthward fast flow events observed in the near-Earth plasma sheet. Here, the earthward fast flow events include both of bursty bulk flow events and flow burst events. In order to apply it directly to actual observations, virtual probes are located in the plasma sheet region in the three-dimensional simulation domain so that we can directly observe the temporal variations of plasma quantities in accordance with the growth and proceeding of the fast reconnection. In this model, magnetic reconnection drastically evolves and Alfvénic fast plasma jet flows in the very restricted narrow channel, and a large-scale plasmoid is formed ahead of the fast plasma jet. The results of virtual observation of these evolutions are found to be in good agreement with actual satellite observations. At the same time, in the lobe region, travelling compression regions (TCRs) are observed in connection with the fast flow events. The temporal profiles of magnetic fields detected by the virtual probes are also in good agreement with actual satellite observations. It is concluded that the earthward fast flow events and earthward TCR events result from the fast reconnection mechanism. Copyright 2008 by the American Geophysical Union.