Characterization of Particle Energization due to Collisionless Magnetic Reconnection using Field-Particle Correlations

Magnetic reconnection plays an important role in the energization of particles in collisionless plasmas. We apply a new field-particle correlation technique to explore the energization of ions and electrons in collisionless magnetic reconnection. The goal is to determine the characteristic velocity-space signatures of magnetic reconnection using single-point measurements of the electromagnetic fields and particle velocity distributions. Initial work has shown that in simulated magnetic reconnection, the particle energization depends strongly on the position within the reconnection geometry. This method may provide a novel means to use single point spacecraft measurements to identify particle energization by magnetic reconnection in space plasmas.