Impact of Cold Ions on Reconnection Fronts During Magnetic Reconnection

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Abstract Reconnection fronts (RFs) are crucial structures formed by magnetic reconnection. However, the effects of cold ions on RFs are not clear until now. In this study, we investigated their impact using 2D kinetic particle‐in‐cell simulations. Our results show that colder ions lead to faster propagation of the RF. This accelerated propagation is driven by the increase in the net force density at the front. As the cold ion fraction rises, the RF becomes thinner and wider, driven by a stronger magnetic pressure gradient compressing the front vertically and a weaker magnetic tension promoting its horizontal expansion. Colder ions lead to an enhancement in the energy conversion rates for both cold ions and electrons. The average energy gained per particle rises for warm ions and electrons but decreases for cold ions. Our results highlight how cold ions influence the dynamics, structure, and energy distribution of RFs during magnetic reconnection.

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