Understanding the close interconnection between turbulence and magnetic reconnection has been of increasing importance to the broader solar and space physics community. Turbulence is a fundamental physical process of transferring energy from large-scale motions to small kinetic scales, where the turbulence energy is dissipated as plasma heat and particle energization. Magnetic reconnection is a universal physical process that converts magnetic energy to plasma kinetic and thermal energies. Both processes critically influence the dynamics and energetics in systems such as the solar corona, solar wind, and planetary magnetospheres. Magnetic reconnection has been observed in turbulent environments such as the solar wind and the Earth's magneto-sheath. It has been suggested to contribute to energy dissipation of the turbulence and changes in the turbulent cascade by spacecraft observations, simulations and theory. Present knowledge on the physics underlying how magnetic reconnection influences turbulence, and vice versa, is at the very early stages of development. In this regard, the main purpose of this 3-year research project is to improve the physical understanding of the interconnection between magnetic reconnection and turbulence. The main goal of the project is to develop a new technique for identifying and examining reconnection activity using gyro-kinetic simulations of plasma turbulence. The project will support the research of an early-career female scientist, and it will provide research opportunities to undergraduate students at Dartmouth College. These are vital for the education and training of the next generations of scientists, thus contributing to a more diverse STEM workforce in the U.S. The outcome of this research project is expected to yield an improved understanding of the connection between magnetic reconnection and space plasma turbulence, hence leading to more accurate modeling and predictions of the space weather conditions surrounding the Earth. This will contribute to the stability, economy, and technology advancement of the society --- both nationally and globally.
This 3-year research project has three science objectives. The first objective is to identify active reconnecting X-points in fully non-linear kinetic turbulence. The second objective is to examine the properties of magnetic reconnection in Alfvenic turbulence. The third objective is to assess the role of reconnection in the heating of magnetized turbulence. The project is directly relevant to the NSF's Solar-Terrestrial Research program, because it would provide important knowledge and an innovative technique for understanding the nature of turbulence and reconnection in space and astrophysical plasmas. This knowledge will be critical for the modeling and predictions of space weather from the surface of the Sun to the Earth and beyond. The new technique will be applicable for analyzing spacecraft data from missions such as MMS, Parker Solar Probe, and Solar Orbiter. The research and EPO agenda of this project supports the Strategic Goals of the AGS Division in discovery, learning, diversity, and interdisciplinary research.
This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
