Turbulence Properties in 3D Magnetic Reconnection: Implications for Particle Acceleration and Transport

Abstract: Magnetic reconnection, a fundamental process in plasma physics, often self-generates plasma turbulence, especially in 3D. Such turbulence is critical in mediating particle acceleration and transport within magnetic reconnection regions. Using 3D kinetic simulations, we explore the properties of the self-generated turbulence and its implications for particle acceleration and transport during magnetic reconnection. Various aspects are investigated, including the spectrum of turbulent fluctuations, the anisotropic scaling of the structure function, the superdiffusion of magnetic field lines, the cross-scale energy transfer using scale-filtering techniques, and the resulting particle transport within the 3D reconnection layer. Our findings reveal that the properties of turbulence are generally consistent with current turbulence theory, with some deviations depending on the guide-field strength. The presence of reconnection-driven turbulence enhances the spatial transport of particles, thereby facilitating particle acceleration during magnetic reconnection. These results hold crucial implications for understanding high-energy particle acceleration in magnetic reconnection and offer valuable insights into the fundamental physics of reconnection and turbulence in space and astrophysical plasmas.