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Recent studies in satellite observations of three-dimensional magnetic reconnection

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Abstract

Magnetic reconnection is a main process converting the magnetic energy into thermal and kinetic energy in plasmas. It is one of the fundamental problems of crucial importance not only to space plasmas physics and space weather studies, such as the solar flare, coronal mass ejections and magnetospheric substorms, but also to the stability analysis in magnetically confined fusion. In general, except for cases with periodical boundary conditions, three-dimensional (3D) magnetic reconnection occurs on magnetic separatrices generated by magnetic nulls. Here we briefly introduce/review the theories and some recent satellite observations of 3D magnetic reconnection. Topics to be further studied are also discussed.

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Correspondence to Xiao ChiJie.

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Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 40390150, 40504021, 10575018, 40536030, 10603008 and 10778613) and the National Basic Research Program of China (Grant No. 2006CB806300), as well as the Chinese Academy of Sciences Project (Grant No. KJCX2-YW-T04) and the China Double Star-Cluster Science Team

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Xiao, C., Wang, X., Pu, Z. et al. Recent studies in satellite observations of three-dimensional magnetic reconnection. SCI CHINA SER E 50, 380–384 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11431-007-0046-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11431-007-0046-9

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