Particle Acceleration and Energy Conversion

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Self-generated turbulence can enhance particle transport and acceleration in 3D magnetic reconnection. The simulations were performed using the VPIC particle-in-cell code and analyzed using the open-source Post-Analysis-VPIC code. (Li et al., 2019)

This project studies particle acceleration and transport in nonrelativistic magnetic reconnection using numerical simulations (particle-in-cell) and particle transport theories. Current research topics include

particle acceleration mechanisms in reconnection
particle transport in the self-generated turbulence in 3D reconnection
the formation of power-law energy spectra in reconnection

Publications

2024

ApJ

Plasma Dynamics and Nonthermal Particle Acceleration in 3D Nonrelativistic Magnetic Reconnection

Qile Zhang, Fan Guo, William Daughton, and 2 more authors

The Astrophysical Journal, Oct 2024

@article{2024ApJ...974...47Z,
  author = {{Zhang}, Qile and {Guo}, Fan and {Daughton}, William and {Li}, Xiaocan and {Li}, Hui},
  title = {{Plasma Dynamics and Nonthermal Particle Acceleration in 3D Nonrelativistic Magnetic Reconnection}},
  journal = {The Astrophysical Journal},
  keywords = {Solar magnetic reconnection, Interplanetary particle acceleration, Space plasmas, Plasma astrophysics, 1504, 826, 1544, 1261, Astrophysics - Solar and Stellar Astrophysics, Physics - Plasma Physics, Physics - Space Physics},
  year = {2024},
  month = oct,
  volume = {974},
  number = {1},
  eid = {47},
  pages = {47},
  doi = {10.3847/1538-4357/ad6561},
  archiveprefix = {arXiv},
  eprint = {2404.08807},
  primaryclass = {astro-ph.SR},
  adsurl = {https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2024ApJ...974...47Z},
  adsnote = {Provided by the SAO/NASA Astrophysics Data System},
  projects = {reconnection:nonrel}
}

2022

PhPl

Electron energization and thermal to non- thermal energy partition during earth’s magnetotail reconnection

Mitsuo Oka, Tai Phan, Marit Oieroset, and 12 more authors

Physics of Plasmas, May 2022

@article{2022PhPl...29e2904O,
  author = {Oka, Mitsuo and {Phan}, Tai and {Oieroset}, Marit and {Turner}, Drew and {Drake}, James and {Li}, Xiaocan and {Fuselier}, Stephen and {Gershman}, Daniel and {Giles}, Barbara and {Ergun}, Robert and {Torbert}, Roy and {Wei}, Hanying and {Strangeway}, Robert and {Russell}, Christopher and {Burch}, James},
  title = {{Electron energization and thermal to non- thermal energy partition during earth's magnetotail reconnection}},
  journal = {Physics of Plasmas},
  year = {2022},
  month = may,
  volume = {29},
  eid = {052904},
  pages = {052904},
  doi = {10.1063/5.0085647},
  adsurl = {https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2022PhPl...29e2904O},
  adsnote = {Provided by the SAO/NASA Astrophysics Data System},
  projects = {reconnection:nonrel}
}

ApJ

Particle Acceleration in Magnetic Reconnection with Ad Hoc Pitch-angle Scattering

Grant Johnson, Patrick Kilian, Fan Guo, and 1 more author

The Astrophysical Journal, Jul 2022

@article{2022ApJ...933...73J,
  author = {Johnson, Grant and {Kilian}, Patrick and {Guo}, Fan and {Li}, Xiaocan},
  title = {{Particle Acceleration in Magnetic Reconnection with Ad Hoc Pitch-angle Scattering}},
  journal = {The Astrophysical Journal},
  keywords = {Plasma astrophysics, Solar flares, Solar corona, Solar magnetic reconnection, Space plasmas, Relativistic jets, Pulsar wind nebulae, 1261, 1496, 1483, 1504, 1544, 1390, 2215, Astrophysics - Solar and Stellar Astrophysics, Astrophysics - High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena, Physics - Plasma Physics, Physics - Space Physics},
  year = {2022},
  month = jul,
  volume = {933},
  number = {1},
  eid = {73},
  pages = {73},
  doi = {10.3847/1538-4357/ac7143},
  archiveprefix = {arXiv},
  eprint = {2205.08600},
  primaryclass = {astro-ph.SR},
  adsurl = {https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2022ApJ...933...73J},
  adsnote = {Provided by the SAO/NASA Astrophysics Data System},
  projects = {reconnection:nonrel}
}

2021

PhPl

The acceleration of charged particles and formation of power-law energy spectra in nonrelativistic magnetic reconnection

Xiaocan Li, Fan Guo, and Yi-Hsin Liu

Physics of Plasmas, May 2021

@article{2021PhPl...28e2905L,
  author = {Li, Xiaocan and {Guo}, Fan and {Liu}, Yi-Hsin},
  title = {{The acceleration of charged particles and formation of power-law energy spectra in nonrelativistic magnetic reconnection}},
  journal = {Physics of Plasmas},
  keywords = {Physics - Plasma Physics, Astrophysics - Solar and Stellar Astrophysics, Physics - Space Physics},
  year = {2021},
  month = may,
  volume = {28},
  number = {5},
  eid = {052905},
  pages = {052905},
  doi = {10.1063/5.0047644},
  archiveprefix = {arXiv},
  eprint = {2104.10732},
  primaryclass = {physics.plasm-ph},
  adsurl = {https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2021PhPl...28e2905L},
  adsnote = {Provided by the SAO/NASA Astrophysics Data System},
  projects = {reconnection:nonrel}
}

PhRvL

Efficient Nonthermal Ion and Electron Acceleration Enabled by the Flux-Rope Kink Instability in 3D Nonrelativistic Magnetic Reconnection

Qile Zhang, Fan Guo, William Daughton, and 2 more authors

Physical Review Letters, Oct 2021

@article{2021PhRvL.127r5101Z,
  author = {Zhang, Qile and {Guo}, Fan and {Daughton}, William and {Li}, Hui and {Li}, Xiaocan},
  title = {{Efficient Nonthermal Ion and Electron Acceleration Enabled by the Flux-Rope Kink Instability in 3D Nonrelativistic Magnetic Reconnection}},
  journal = {Physical Review Letters},
  keywords = {Astrophysics - Solar and Stellar Astrophysics, Physics - Plasma Physics},
  year = {2021},
  month = oct,
  volume = {127},
  number = {18},
  eid = {185101},
  pages = {185101},
  doi = {10.1103/PhysRevLett.127.185101},
  archiveprefix = {arXiv},
  eprint = {2105.04521},
  primaryclass = {astro-ph.SR},
  adsurl = {https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2021PhRvL.127r5101Z},
  adsnote = {Provided by the SAO/NASA Astrophysics Data System},
  projects = {reconnection:nonrel}
}

2020

PhRvE

Energy dissipation and entropy in collisionless plasma

Senbei Du, Gary P. Zank, Xiaocan Li, and 1 more author

Physical Review E, Mar 2020

@article{2020PhRvE.101c3208D,
  author = {Du, Senbei and {Zank}, Gary P. and {Li}, Xiaocan and {Guo}, Fan},
  title = {{Energy dissipation and entropy in collisionless plasma}},
  journal = {Physical Review E},
  keywords = {Physics - Plasma Physics, Astrophysics - Solar and Stellar Astrophysics, Physics - Space Physics},
  year = {2020},
  month = mar,
  volume = {101},
  number = {3},
  eid = {033208},
  pages = {033208},
  doi = {10.1103/PhysRevE.101.033208},
  archiveprefix = {arXiv},
  eprint = {1911.08086},
  primaryclass = {physics.plasm-ph},
  adsurl = {https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2020PhRvE.101c3208D},
  adsnote = {Provided by the SAO/NASA Astrophysics Data System},
  projects = {reconnection:nonrel}
}

2019

ApJ

Formation of Power-law Electron Energy Spectra in Three-dimensional Low-\ensuremathβ Magnetic Reconnection

Xiaocan Li, Fan Guo, Hui Li, and 2 more authors

The Astrophysical Journal, Oct 2019

@article{2019ApJ...884..118L,
  author = {Li, Xiaocan and {Guo}, Fan and {Li}, Hui and {Stanier}, Adam and {Kilian}, Patrick},
  title = {{Formation of Power-law Electron Energy Spectra in Three-dimensional Low-{\ensuremath{\beta}} Magnetic Reconnection}},
  journal = {The Astrophysical Journal},
  keywords = {Interplanetary particle acceleration, Solar magnetic reconnection, Solar flares, Solar corona, Space plasmas, 826, 1504, 1496, 1483, 1261, 1544, Astrophysics - Solar and Stellar Astrophysics, Astrophysics - High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena, Physics - Plasma Physics, Physics - Space Physics},
  year = {2019},
  month = oct,
  volume = {884},
  number = {2},
  eid = {118},
  pages = {118},
  doi = {10.3847/1538-4357/ab4268},
  archiveprefix = {arXiv},
  eprint = {1909.01911},
  primaryclass = {astro-ph.SR},
  adsurl = {https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2019ApJ...884..118L},
  adsnote = {Provided by the SAO/NASA Astrophysics Data System},
  projects = {reconnection:nonrel,turbulence}
}

ApJL

Energetic Electron Acceleration in Unconfined Reconnection Jets

G. Chen, H. S. Fu, Y. Zhang, and 5 more authors

The Astrophysical Journal Letters, Aug 2019

@article{2019ApJ...881L...8C,
  author = {Chen, G. and {Fu}, H.~S. and {Zhang}, Y. and {Li}, Xiaocan and {Ge}, Y.~S. and {Du}, A.~M. and {Liu}, C.~M. and {Xu}, Y.},
  title = {{Energetic Electron Acceleration in Unconfined Reconnection Jets}},
  journal = {The Astrophysical Journal Letters},
  keywords = {acceleration of particles, magnetic reconnection},
  year = {2019},
  month = aug,
  volume = {881},
  number = {1},
  eid = {L8},
  pages = {L8},
  doi = {10.3847/2041-8213/ab3041},
  adsurl = {https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2019ApJ...881L...8C},
  adsnote = {Provided by the SAO/NASA Astrophysics Data System},
  projects = {reconnection:nonrel}
}

ApJ

Particle Acceleration in Kinetic Simulations of Nonrelativistic Magnetic Reconnection with Different Ion-Electron Mass Ratios

Xiaocan Li, Fan Guo, and Hui Li

The Astrophysical Journal, Jul 2019

@article{2019ApJ...879....5L,
  author = {Li, Xiaocan and {Guo}, Fan and {Li}, Hui},
  title = {{Particle Acceleration in Kinetic Simulations of Nonrelativistic Magnetic Reconnection with Different Ion-Electron Mass Ratios}},
  journal = {The Astrophysical Journal},
  keywords = {acceleration of particles, magnetic reconnection, Sun: corona, Sun: flares, Physics - Plasma Physics, Astrophysics - Solar and Stellar Astrophysics, Physics - Space Physics},
  year = {2019},
  month = jul,
  volume = {879},
  number = {1},
  eid = {5},
  pages = {5},
  doi = {10.3847/1538-4357/ab223b},
  archiveprefix = {arXiv},
  eprint = {1905.08797},
  primaryclass = {physics.plasm-ph},
  adsurl = {https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2019ApJ...879....5L},
  adsnote = {Provided by the SAO/NASA Astrophysics Data System},
  projects = {reconnection:nonrel}
}

2018

ApJ

Plasma Energization in Colliding Magnetic Flux Ropes

Senbei Du, Fan Guo, Gary P. Zank, and 2 more authors

The Astrophysical Journal, Nov 2018

@article{2018ApJ...867...16D,
  author = {Du, Senbei and {Guo}, Fan and {Zank}, Gary P. and {Li}, Xiaocan and {Stanier}, Adam},
  title = {{Plasma Energization in Colliding Magnetic Flux Ropes}},
  journal = {The Astrophysical Journal},
  keywords = {acceleration of particles, magnetic reconnection, Astrophysics - Solar and Stellar Astrophysics, Physics - Plasma Physics, Physics - Space Physics},
  year = {2018},
  month = nov,
  volume = {867},
  number = {1},
  eid = {16},
  pages = {16},
  doi = {10.3847/1538-4357/aae30e},
  archiveprefix = {arXiv},
  eprint = {1809.08357},
  primaryclass = {astro-ph.SR},
  adsurl = {https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2018ApJ...867...16D},
  adsnote = {Provided by the SAO/NASA Astrophysics Data System},
  projects = {reconnection:nonrel}
}

Particle Acceleration in Interacting Magnetic Flux Ropes

Senbei Du, Gary P. Zank, Fan Guo, and 2 more authors

In Journal of Physics Conference Series, Oct 2018

@inproceedings{2018JPhCS1100a2009D,
  author = {Du, Senbei and {Zank}, Gary P. and {Guo}, Fan and {Li}, Xiaocan and {Stanier}, Adam},
  title = {{Particle Acceleration in Interacting Magnetic Flux Ropes}},
  booktitle = {Journal of Physics Conference Series},
  year = {2018},
  series = {Journal of Physics Conference Series},
  volume = {1100},
  month = oct,
  eid = {012009},
  pages = {012009},
  doi = {10.1088/1742-6596/1100/1/012009},
  adsurl = {https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2018JPhCS1100a2009D},
  adsnote = {Provided by the SAO/NASA Astrophysics Data System},
  projects = {reconnection:nonrel}
}

ApJ

Large-scale Compression Acceleration during Magnetic Reconnection in a Low-\ensuremathβ Plasma

Xiaocan Li, Fan Guo, Hui Li, and 1 more author

The Astrophysical Journal, Oct 2018

@article{2018ApJ...866....4L,
  author = {Li, Xiaocan and {Guo}, Fan and {Li}, Hui and {Li}, Shengtai},
  title = {{Large-scale Compression Acceleration during Magnetic Reconnection in a Low-{\ensuremath{\beta}} Plasma}},
  journal = {The Astrophysical Journal},
  keywords = {acceleration of particles, magnetic reconnection, Sun: corona, Sun: flares, Astrophysics - Solar and Stellar Astrophysics, Astrophysics - High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena, Physics - Plasma Physics, Physics - Space Physics},
  year = {2018},
  month = oct,
  volume = {866},
  number = {1},
  eid = {4},
  pages = {4},
  doi = {10.3847/1538-4357/aae07b},
  archiveprefix = {arXiv},
  eprint = {1807.03427},
  primaryclass = {astro-ph.SR},
  adsurl = {https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2018ApJ...866....4L},
  adsnote = {Provided by the SAO/NASA Astrophysics Data System},
  projects = {reconnection:nonrel,flare}
}

ApJ

The Roles of Fluid Compression and Shear in Electron Energization during Magnetic Reconnection

Xiaocan Li, Fan Guo, Hui Li, and 1 more author

The Astrophysical Journal, Mar 2018

@article{2018ApJ...855...80L,
  author = {Li, Xiaocan and {Guo}, Fan and {Li}, Hui and {Birn}, Joachim},
  title = {{The Roles of Fluid Compression and Shear in Electron Energization during Magnetic Reconnection}},
  journal = {The Astrophysical Journal},
  keywords = {acceleration of particles, accretion, accretion disks, magnetic reconnection, Sun: corona, Sun: flares, Physics - Plasma Physics, Astrophysics - High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena, Astrophysics - Solar and Stellar Astrophysics, Physics - Space Physics},
  year = {2018},
  month = mar,
  volume = {855},
  number = {2},
  eid = {80},
  pages = {80},
  doi = {10.3847/1538-4357/aaacd5},
  archiveprefix = {arXiv},
  eprint = {1801.02255},
  primaryclass = {physics.plasm-ph},
  adsurl = {https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2018ApJ...855...80L},
  adsnote = {Provided by the SAO/NASA Astrophysics Data System},
  projects = {reconnection:nonrel}
}

2017

ApJ

Particle Acceleration during Magnetic Reconnection in a Low-beta Plasma

Xiaocan Li, Fan Guo, Hui Li, and 1 more author

The Astrophysical Journal, Jul 2017

@article{2017ApJ...843...21L,
  author = {Li, Xiaocan and {Guo}, Fan and {Li}, Hui and {Li}, Gang},
  title = {{Particle Acceleration during Magnetic Reconnection in a Low-beta Plasma}},
  journal = {The Astrophysical Journal},
  keywords = {acceleration of particles, accretion, accretion disks, magnetic reconnection, Sun: corona, Sun: flares},
  year = {2017},
  month = jul,
  volume = {843},
  number = {1},
  eid = {21},
  pages = {21},
  doi = {10.3847/1538-4357/aa745e},
  adsurl = {https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2017ApJ...843...21L},
  adsnote = {Provided by the SAO/NASA Astrophysics Data System},
  projects = {reconnection:nonrel}
}

2015

ApJL

Nonthermally Dominated Electron Acceleration during Magnetic Reconnection in a Low-β Plasma

Xiaocan Li, Fan Guo, Hui Li, and 1 more author

The Astrophysical Journal Letters, Oct 2015

@article{2015ApJ...811L..24L,
  author = {Li, Xiaocan and {Guo}, Fan and {Li}, Hui and {Li}, Gang},
  title = {{Nonthermally Dominated Electron Acceleration during Magnetic Reconnection in a Low-${\beta}$ Plasma}},
  journal = {The Astrophysical Journal Letters},
  keywords = {acceleration of particles, magnetic reconnection, Sun: corona, Sun: flares, Astrophysics - Solar and Stellar Astrophysics, Astrophysics - High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena, Physics - Plasma Physics, Physics - Space Physics},
  year = {2015},
  month = oct,
  volume = {811},
  number = {2},
  eid = {L24},
  pages = {L24},
  doi = {10.1088/2041-8205/811/2/L24},
  archiveprefix = {arXiv},
  eprint = {1505.02166},
  primaryclass = {astro-ph.SR},
  adsurl = {https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2015ApJ...811L..24L},
  adsnote = {Provided by the SAO/NASA Astrophysics Data System},
  projects = {reconnection:nonrel}
}