  This letter concentrates on the non-equilibrium evolution of magnetic field
structures at the onset of recombination, when the charged particle current
densities decay as neutrals are formed.
  We consider the effect that a decaying magnetic flux has on the acceleration
of particles via the transient induced electric field. Since the residual
charged-particle number density is small as a result of decoupling, we shall
consider the magnetic and electric fields essentially to be imposed, neglecting
the feedback from any minority accelerated population.
  We find that the electromagnetic treatment of this phase transition can
produce energetic electrons scattered throughout the Universe. Such particles
could have a significant effect on cosmic evolution in several ways: (i) their
presence could delay the effective end of the recombination era; (ii) they
could give rise to plasma concentrations that could enhance early gravitational
collapse of matter by opposing cosmic expansion to a greater degree than
neutral matter could; (iii) they could continue to be accelerated, and become
the seed for reionisation at the later epoch $z \approx 10$.
