Search Publications
Cassini VIMS observations of H3+ emission on the nightside of Jupiter
Baines, Kevin H.; Brown, Robert H.; O'Donoghue, James +10 more
We present the first detailed analysis of H3+ nightside emission from Jupiter, using Visual and Infrared Mapping Spectrometer (VIMS) data from the Cassini flyby in 2000-2001, producing the first Jovian maps of nightside H3+ emission, temperature, and column density. Using these, we identify and character…
The ULF wave foreshock boundary: Cluster observations
Mazelle, Christian; Andrés, Nahuel; Meziane, Karim +2 more
The interaction of backstreaming ions with the incoming solar wind in the upstream region of the bow shock gives rise to a number of plasma instabilities from which ultralow frequency (ULF) waves can grow. Because of their finite growth rate, the ULF waves are spatially localized in the foreshock region. Previous studies have reported observationa…
Case and statistical studies on the evolution of hot flow anomalies
Zhao, L. L.; Zhang, H.; Wang, S. +1 more
Hot flow anomalies (HFAs) frequently observed near Earth's bow shock are phenomena resulting from the interaction between interplanetary discontinuities and Earth's bow shock. We identify 199 HFA events using Cluster data from 2001 to 2010 and divide these events into four categories according to the dynamic pressure profile, namely, "-+," "+-," "…
A new stationary analytical model of the heliospheric current sheet and the plasma sheet
Malova, Helmi V.; Kislov, Roman A.; Khabarova, Olga V.
We develop a single-fluid 2-D analytical model of the axially symmetric thin heliospheric current sheet (HCS) embedded into the heliospheric plasma sheet (HPS). A HCS-HPS system has a shape of a relatively thin plasma disk limited by separatrices that also represent current sheets, which is in agreement with Ulysses observations in the aphelion, w…
Estimation of cold plasma outflow during geomagnetic storms
André, M.; Eriksson, A.; Haaland, S. +11 more
Low-energy ions of ionospheric origin constitute a significant contributor to the magnetospheric plasma population. Measuring cold ions is difficult though. Observations have to be done at sufficiently high altitudes and typically in regions of space where spacecraft attain a positive charge due to solar illumination. Cold ions are therefore shiel…
Sustained lobe reconnection in Saturn's magnetotail
Thomsen, M. F.; Jackman, C. M.; Kurth, W. S. +3 more
The degree to which solar wind driving may affect Saturn's magnetosphere is not yet fully understood. We present observations that suggest that under some conditions the solar wind does govern the character of the plasma sheet in Saturn's outer magnetosphere. On 16 September 2006, the Cassini spacecraft, at a radial distance of 37 Rs ne…
The impact of a slow interplanetary coronal mass ejection on Venus
Barabash, Stas; Futaana, Yoshifumi; Collinson, Glyn A. +8 more
We present Venus Express observations of the impact of a slow interplanetary coronal mass ejection (ICME), which struck Venus on 23 December 2006, creating unusual quasi steady state upstream conditions for the 2 h close to periapsis: an enhanced (∼ nT) interplanetary magnetic field (IMF), radially aligned with the Sun-Venus line; and a dense (∼ c…
What is the nature of magnetosheath FTEs?
Robert, Patrick; Louarn, Philippe; Fontaine, Dominique +3 more
Cluster multipoint measurements are used to study two successive magnetosheath flux transfer events (FTEs). Magnetic field lines in the leading region are found to be closed magnetospheric field lines. For event 1 these field lines are wounded up by a large current structure oriented eastward and moving poleward. Conversely, the trailing region co…
Transpolar arc observation after solar wind entry into the high-latitude magnetosphere
Wei, Y.; Zong, Q. -G.; Fear, R. C. +11 more
Recently, Cluster observations have revealed the presence of new regions of solar wind plasma entry at the high-latitude magnetospheric lobes tailward of the cusp region, mostly during periods of northward interplanetary magnetic field. In this study, observations from the Global Ultraviolet Imager (GUVI) experiment on board the TIMED spacecraft a…
Fast damping of ultralow frequency waves excited by interplanetary shocks in the magnetosphere
Zong, Qiugang; Rankin, Robert; Wang, Chengrui
Analysis of Cluster spacecraft data shows that intense ultralow frequency (ULF) waves in the inner magnetosphere can be excited by the impact of interplanetary shocks and solar wind dynamic pressure variations. The observations reveal that such waves can be damped away rapidly in a few tens of minutes. Here we examine mechanisms of ULF wave dampin…