53 research outputs found
Multiscale studies of the three-dimensional dayside X-line
AbstractWe review recent experience from the Cluster, Double Star, and THEMIS missions for lessons that apply to the upcoming Magnetospheric Multiscale Mission (MMS) being developed for launch in 2014. On global scales, simulation and statistical studies lead to mean configurations of dayside reconnection, implying specific relative alignments of the inflow magnetic fields and X-line, with implications for MMS operations designed to maximize the number of close encounters with the diffusion region. At intermediate MHD-to-ion scales, reconstruction of features created by one or two X-lines have developed to the point where data from a cluster of spacecraft can determine their temporal trends and the approximate three-dimensional X-line structure. Recent petascale particle-in-cell (PIC) simulations of reconnection encompass three spatial dimensions with excellent resolution, and make striking predictions of electron scale physics that creates complex interacting flux ropes under component reconnection. High time resolution measurements from MMS will determine the detailed electron scale kinetics embedded within the global and MHDâion scale contexts. These developments will lead to the refinement of our three-dimensional multiscale picture of reconnection, yielding improved understanding of the global, MHD, and local physics controlling the onset or quenching, variability, and mean rate of reconnection. This in turn will enable improved predictability of the structural features created by transient reconnection, and their space weather consequences
Longâlasting goodshielding at the equatorial ionosphere
Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/95323/1/jgra20828.pd
The current system associated with the boundary of plasma bubbles
The current system associated with the boundary of plasma bubbles in the Earth's magnetotail has been studied by employing Cluster multipoint observations. We have investigated the currents in both the dipolarization front (DF, leading edge of the plasma bubble) and the trailing edge of the plasma bubble. The distribution of currents at the edge indicates that there is a current circuit in the boundary of a plasma bubble. The fieldâaligned currents in the trailing edge of the plasma bubble are flowing toward the ionosphere (downward) on the dawnside and away from the ionosphere (upward) on the duskside, in the same sense as regionâ1 current. Together with previous studies of the current distributions in the DF and magnetic dip region, we have obtained a more complete picture of the current system surrounding the boundary of plasma bubble. This current system is very similar to the substorm current wedge predicted by MHD simulation models but with much smaller scale.Key PointsWe have obtained a current circuit in the boundary of plasma bubbleThe FACs in the trailing edge of plasma bubble is also regionâ1âsenseThe current and FACs system is similar to SCW but with much smaller scalePeer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/110641/1/grl52338.pd
Comparison of formulas for resonant interactions between energetic electrons and oblique whistler-mode waves
Test particle simulation is a useful method for studying both linear and nonlinear wave-particle interactions in the magnetosphere. The gyro-averaged equations of particle motion for first-order and other cyclotron harmonic resonances with oblique whistler-mode waves were first derived by Bell [J. Geophys. Res. 89, 905 (1984)] and the most recent relativistic form was given by Ginet and Albert [Phys. Fluids B 3, 2994 (1991)], and Bortnik [Ph.D. thesis (Stanford University, 2004), p. 40]. However, recently we found there was a (- 1) l - 1 term difference between their formulas of perpendicular motion for the lth-order resonance. This article presents the detailed derivation process of the generalized resonance formulas, and suggests a check of the signs for self-consistency, which is independent of the choice of conventions, that is, the energy variation equation resulting from the momentum equations should not contain any wave magnetic components, simply because the magnetic field does not contribute to changes of particle energy. In addition, we show that the wave centripetal force, which was considered small and was neglect in previous studies of nonlinear interactions, has a profound time derivative and can significantly enhance electron phase trapping especially in high frequency waves. This force can also bounce the low pitch angle particles out of the loss cone. We justify both the sign problem and the missing wave centripetal force by demonstrating wave-particle interaction examples, and comparing the gyro-averaged particle motion to the full particle motion under the Lorentz force. ? 2015 AIP Publishing LLC.SCI(E)[email protected]; [email protected]
Interactions between magnetosonic waves and radiation belt electrons: Comparisons of quasi-linear calculations with test particle simulations
Evidence for lunar tide effects in Earthâs plasmasphere
Tides are universal and affect spatially distributed systems, ranging from planetary to galactic scales. In the EarthâMoon system, effects caused by lunar tides were reported in the Earthâs crust, oceans, neutral gas-dominated atmosphere (including the ionosphere) and near-ground geomagnetic field. However, whether a lunar tide effect exists in the plasma-dominated regions has not been explored yet. Here we show evidence of a lunar tide-induced signal in the plasmasphere, the inner region of the magnetosphere, which is filled with cold plasma. We obtain these results by analysing variations in the plasmasphereâs boundary location over the past four decades from multisatellite observations. The signal possesses distinct diurnal (and monthly) periodicities, which are different from the semidiurnal (and semimonthly) variations dominant in the previously observed lunar tide effects in other regions. These results demonstrate the importance of lunar tidal effects in plasma-dominated regions, influencing understanding of the coupling between the Moon, atmosphere and magnetosphere system through gravity and electromagnetic forces. Furthermore, these findings may have implications for tidal interactions in other two-body celestial systems
MESSENGER observations of Alfvénic and compressional waves during Mercury's substorms
MErcury Surface, Space ENviroment, GEochemistry, and Ranging (MESSENGER) magnetic field measurements during the substorm expansion phase in Mercury's magnetotail have been examined for evidence of lowâfrequency plasma waves, e.g., Pi2âlike pulsations. It has been revealed that the By fluctuations accompanying substorm dipolarizations are consistent with pulses of fieldâaligned currents near the highâlatitude edge of the plasma sheet. Detailed analysis of the By fluctuations reveals that they are near circularly polarized electromagnetic waves, most likely AlfvĂ©n waves. Soon afterward the plasma sheet thickened and MESSENGER detected a series of compressional waves. These AlfvĂ©nic and compressional waves have similar durations (10â20âs), suggesting that they may arise from the same source. Drawing on Pi2 pulsation models developed for Earth, we suggest that the AlfvĂ©nic and compressional waves reported here at Mercury may be generated by the quasiâperiodic sunward flow bursts in Mercury's plasma sheet. But because they are observed during the period with rapid magnetic field reconfiguration, we cannot fully exclude the possibility of standing AlfvĂ©n wave.Key PointsThe first observation of Pi2âlike pulsations during Mercury's substormAlfvĂ©nic and compressional waves were observed in the different regions of the plasma sheetWe proposed the sources for the plasma wavesPeer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/113132/1/grl53278.pd
Recent progresses in theoretical studies and satellite observations for collisionless magnetic reconnection
Current structure and flow pattern on the electron separatrix in reconnection region
Abstract Results from 2.5D Particle-in-cell (PIC) simulations of symmetric reconnection with negligible guide field reveal that the accessible boundary of the electrons accelerated in the magnetic reconnection region is displayed by enhanced electron nongyrotropy downstream from the X-line. The boundary, hereafter termed the electron separatrix, occurs at a few d e (electron inertial length) away from the exhaust side of the magnetic separatrix. On the inflow side of the electron separatrix, the current is mainly carried by parallel accelerated electrons, served as the inflow region patch of the Hall current. The out-of-plane current density enhances at the electron separatrix. The dominating current carriers are the electrons, nongyrotropic distribution functions of which contribute significantly to the perpendicular electron velocity by increasing the electron diamagnetic drift velocity. When crossing the separatrix region where the Hall electric field is enhanced, electron velocity orientation is changed dramatically, which could be a diagnostic indicator to detect the electron separatrix. In the exhaust region, ions are the main carriers for the out-of-plane current, while the parallel current is still mainly carried by electrons. The current density peak in the separatrix region implies that a thin current sheet is formed apart from the neutral line, which can evolve to the bifurcated current sheet
Initial responses of magnetospheric plasma flows to the dynamic pressure enhancements
Using the solar wind data obtained from OMNI web, we find 1778 dynamic pressure enhancement events during Mar 2007 to Dec 2012. Then we check the responses of Magnetospheric plasma flows to these events and find 64 responses show clear sudden impulse (SI) signatures from THEMIS observations. We superpose the initial responses of the flows in one plot to find two flow vortices exist at two sides of the near earth magnetotail respectively, which was not observed in-situ before. There are some ULF wave observations after initial responses. ? 2014 IEEE.EI
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