Search Publications
Onset of collisionless magnetic reconnection in two-dimensional current sheets and formation of dipolarization fronts
Sitnov, M. I.; Swisdak, M.
The onset of reconnection in 2-D current sheet equilibria that include an X line separating tail-like regions with magnetized electrons is simulated with a full-particle code. The onset is driven by a finite convection electric field applied outside the current sheet. In the case of tearing stable tails with no accumulated magnetic flux, the conve…
Cassini observations of plasmoid structure and dynamics: Implications for the role of magnetic reconnection in magnetospheric circulation at Saturn
Jackman, C. M.; Cowley, S. W. H.; Slavin, J. A.
We survey the Cassini magnetometer data during the deep tail orbits in 2006, and find 34 direct encounters with plasmoids. They occur as single, isolated events but also in groups of two or more plasmoids as is frequently observed at Earth. We show a case study example of three such plasmoids over three hours, where we estimate an upper limit of 5…
A statistical study of EMIC wave-associated He+ energization in the outer magnetosphere: Cluster/CODIF observations
Sauvaud, J. -A.; Klecker, B.; Kistler, L. M. +3 more
During the time period of 1 March 2001-1 April 2008, the Composition and Distribution Function (CODIF) Analyzer on board Cluster observed 41 prolonged He+ energization events, lasting for 1.10-4.97 h, on average, 3.18 ± 0.91 h. These He+ heating events occurred predominantly at low/middle magnetic latitudes (MLAT = -4.3°-51.7…
Cluster statistics of thin current sheets in the Earth magnetotail: Specifics of the dawn flank, proton temperature profiles and electrostatic effects
Petrukovich, A. A.; Zelenyi, L. M.; Nakamura, R. +1 more
In this paper we use the statistics of 70 crossings by the Cluster mission to study and compare properties of thin current sheets observed at the dawn and dusk flanks of the Earth magnetotail. Special attention is devoted to the current sheet embedding: we define the degree of the current sheet embedding as be = Bext/B0<…
Measurements of the ion escape rates from Venus for solar minimum
Fedorov, A.; Barabash, S.; Lundin, R. +4 more
We report the first direct measurements of the Venusian atmospheric erosion rate due to the interaction with the solar wind. The erosion through the ion escape is determined during the period of the minimum solar activity from 24 May 2006 to 12 December 2007. The ion fluxes are measured in the energy range 10 eV to 25 keV by an ion mass spectromet…
Titan's thermospheric response to various plasma environments
Luhmann, J. G.; Johnson, R. E.; Magee, B. A. +5 more
The Cassini-Huygens mission has been observing Titan since October 2004, resulting in over 70 targeted flybys. Titan's thermosphere is sampled by the Ion and Neutral Mass Spectrometer (INMS) during several of these flybys. The measured upper atmospheric density varies significantly from pass to pass. In order to quantify the processes controlling …
Foreshock cavitons for different interplanetary magnetic field geometries: Simulations and observations
Russell, C. T.; Omidi, N.; Blanco-Cano, X. +1 more
Global hybrid (kinetic ions, fluid electrons) simulations have shown the existence of foreshock cavitons characterized by large depressions in plasma density and magnetic field magnitude, bounded by enhancements in these two parameters. Foreshock cavitons share some characteristics with reported foreshock cavities, but in contrast to the cavities …
Origins of plasma sheet By
Petrukovich, A. A.
With 11 years of Geotail measurements we analyzed sources of plasma sheet By and constructed a model, depending on IMF By, coordinates X, Y, and geodipole tilt angle. By dependence on dipole tilt due to the neutral sheet warping and hinging has an odd (antisymmetric) profile with respect to Y. In addition, a new, e…
Construction of magnetic reconnection in the near-Earth magnetotail with Geotail
Fujimoto, M.; Shinohara, I.; Matsuoka, A. +3 more
The Geotail spacecraft made in situ observations of magnetic reconnection on 15 May 2003 in the near-Earth magnetotail at a radial distance of 28 RE when a moderate substorm started on the ground. For this event, the intense cross-tail electron current layer was detected in association with the simultaneous plasma flow and magnetic fiel…
Earthward plasma sheet flows during substorm phases
Snekvik, K.; Juusola, L.; Tanskanen, E. +2 more
Magnetic reconnection in the Earth's magnetotail converts open magnetic flux to closed, producing fast flows in the plasma sheet. Earthward fast flows can thus be used as a proxy for energy and momentum transfer into the closed magnetosphere during the course of a substorm. Characteristics of flows observed before substorm onset can provide inform…