{
  "id": "1908.09155",
  "version": "v1",
  "published": "2019-08-24T15:38:41.000Z",
  "updated": "2019-08-24T15:38:41.000Z",
  "title": "A Brief Review on Particle Acceleration in Multi-island Magnetic Reconnection",
  "authors": [
    "H. Che",
    "G. P. Zank"
  ],
  "comment": "in publication",
  "categories": [
    "astro-ph.SR",
    "astro-ph.HE",
    "physics.geo-ph",
    "physics.plasm-ph",
    "physics.space-ph"
  ],
  "abstract": "The basic physics and recent progresses in theoretical and particle-in-cell (PIC) simulation studies of particle acceleration in multi-island magnetic reconnection are briefly reviewed. Particle acceleration in multi-island magnetic reconnection is considered a plausible mechanism for the acceleration of energetic particles in solar flares and the solar wind. Theoretical studies have demonstrated that such a mechanism can produce the observed power-law energy distribution of energetic particles if the particle motion is sufficiently randomized in the reconnection event. However, PIC simulations seem to suggest that the first-order Fermi acceleration mechanism is unable to produce a power-law particle energy distribution function in mildly relativistic multi-island magnetic reconnections. On the other hand, while simulations of highly relativistic reconnections appear to be able to produce a power-law energy spectrum, the spectral indices obtained are generally harder than the soft power-law spectra with indices $\\sim -5$ commonly observed in the solar wind and solar flare events. In addition, the plasma heating due to kinetic instabilities in 3D magnetic reconnection may \"thermalize\" the power-law particles, making it even more difficult for multi-island reconnections to generate a power-law spectrum. We discuss the possible reasons that may lead to these problems.",
  "revisions": [
    {
      "version": "v1",
      "updated": "2019-08-24T15:38:41.000Z"
    }
  ],
  "analyses": {
    "keywords": [
      "particle acceleration",
      "relativistic multi-island magnetic reconnections",
      "brief review",
      "power-law particle energy distribution function",
      "power-law spectrum"
    ],
    "note": {
      "typesetting": "TeX",
      "pages": 0,
      "language": "en",
      "license": "arXiv",
      "status": "editable"
    }
  }
}