Impact of Out-of-Plane Flow Shear on Asymmetric Magnetic Reconnection*

Magnetic reconnection changes the magnetic field topology and facilitates energy and particle exchange at magnetospheric boundaries such as the Earth's magnetopause. The flow shear perpendicular to the reconnecting plane prevails at the flank magnetopause under southward interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) conditions. Yet the effects of out-of-plane flow shear on asymmetric reconnection is an open question. In this study, we utilize kinetic simulations to investigate the impact of out-of-plane flow shear on asymmetric reconnection. By systematically varying the flow shear strength and gradient scale, we analyze the flow shear effects on the reconnection rate, diffusion region structure, and energy conversion. We find that the out-of-plane flow shear is important in shaping magnetopause reconnection dynamics.