Amplitude

Computational physics

Magnetohydrodynamics

Cyclotron

Geophysics

Physics

Particle acceleration

Acceleration

Electron

Mechanics

Optics

Magnetic reconnection

Quantum mechanics

Current sheet

Atomic physics

Magnetic field

Turbulence

Classical mechanics

Dissipation

Nuclear physics

Thermodynamics

Geophysical Research Letters

We report observations of turbulent dissipation and particle acceleration from large‐amplitude electric fields ( E ) associated with strong magnetic field ( B ) fluctuations in the Earth's plasma sheet. The turbulence occurs in a region of depleted density with anti‐earthward flows followed by earthward flows suggesting ongoing magnetic reconnection. In the turbulent region, ions and electrons have a significant increase in energy, occasionally &gt;100 keV, and strong variation. There are numerous occurrences of | E | &gt;100 mV/m including occurrences of large potentials (&gt;1 kV) parallel to B and occurrences with extraordinarily large J · E ( J is current density). In this event, we find that the perpendicular contribution of J · E with frequencies near or below the ion cyclotron frequency ( f ci ) provide the majority net positive J · E . Large‐amplitude parallel E events with frequencies above f ci to several times the lower hybrid frequency provide significant dissipation and can result in energetic electron acceleration.

Magnetic Reconnection, Turbulence, and Particle Acceleration: Observations in the Earth's Magnetotail