Energy Transport during 3D Small-scale Reconnection Driven by Anisotropic Plasma Turbulence

Abstract Energy dissipation in collisionless plasmas is a long-standing fundamental physics problem. Although it well known that magnetic reconnection and turbulence are coupled transport energy from system-size scales to subproton scales, the details of distribution channels remain poorly understood. Especially, transfer associated with 3D small-scale occurs as consequence turbulent cascade unknown. We use an explicit fully kinetic particle-in-cell code simulate events forming anisotropic decaying Alfvénic turbulence. identify highly dynamic asymmetric event involves two reconnecting flux ropes. two-fluid approach based on Boltzmann equation study spatial compare power density terms equations standard energy-based damping, heating, proxies. Our findings suggest electron bulk flow transports thermal more efficiently than density. Moreover, our event, dominated by plasma compression. This consistent current sheets events, but not laminar reconnection.