Separation of accelerated electrons and positrons in the relativistic reconnection

Abstract

We study an acceleration of electrons and positrons in the relativistic magnetic field reconnection using a 2.5-D particle-in-cell electromagnetic relativistic code. We consider the model with two current sheets and periodic boundary conditions. The electrons and positrons are very effectively accelerated during the tearing and coalescence processes of the reconnection. We found that near the X-points of the reconnection the positions of electrons and positrons differ. This separation process is in agreement with those studied in the previous papers analytically or by test particle simulations. We expect that in dependence on the magnetic field connectivity this local separation can lead to global spatial separation of the accelerated electrons and positrons. A similar simulation in the electron-proton plasma with the proton-electron mass ratio m_i/m_e = 16 is made.