Search Publications
Electron pitch angle/energy distribution in the magnetotail
Petrukovich, A. A.; Fazakerley, A. N.; Nakamura, R. +3 more
In this paper we utilize 9 years of Cluster observations in the Earth's magnetotail to investigate electron pitch angle/energy distributions. We mainly concentrate on the population of anisotropic electrons with a dominance of the parallel phase space density and energies larger than 100 eV. The energy distribution of this population strongly vari…
Magnetopause reconnection and energy conversion as influenced by the dipole tilt and the IMF Bx
Palmroth, Minna; Hoilijoki, Sanni; Souza, Vitor M. +2 more
We study the effect of Earth's dipole tilt angle and interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) Bx and By components on the location of reconnection and the energy conversion at the magnetopause. We simulate southward IMF satisfying both inward- and outward-type Parker spiral conditions during three different dipole tilt angles usin…
Variation of the solar magnetic flux spectrum during solar cycle 23
Wang, J. X.; Jin, C. L.
By using the unique database of Solar and Heliospheric Observatory/Michelson Doppler Imager full disk magnetograms from September 1996 to January 2011, covering the entire solar cycle 23, we analyze the time-variability of the solar magnetic flux spectrum and study the properties of extended minimum of cycle 23. We totally identify 11.5 million ma…
Planetary period oscillations in Saturn's magnetosphere: Comparison of magnetic oscillations and SKR modulations in the postequinox interval
Dougherty, M. K.; Lamy, L.; Cowley, S. W. H. +1 more
We compare the properties of planetary period oscillations observed in Saturn kilometric radiation (SKR) and magnetospheric magnetic field data from Saturn equinox in August 2009 to July 2013. As shown previously, the southern and northern oscillation periods converged across equinox from ~10.8 h and ~10.6 h, respectively, during southern summer, …
In situ spatiotemporal measurements of the detailed azimuthal substructure of the substorm current wedge
Wild, J. A.; Fazakerley, A. N.; Karlsson, T. +14 more
The substorm current wedge (SCW) is a fundamental component of geomagnetic substorms. Models tend to describe the SCW as a simple line current flowing into the ionosphere toward dawn and out of the ionosphere toward dusk, linked by a westward electrojet. We use multispacecraft observations from perigee passes of the Cluster 1 and 4 spacecraft duri…
Morphology of magnetic field in near-Venus magnetotail: Venus express observations
Barabash, S.; Futaana, Y.; Wei, Y. +7 more
Knowledge of the magnetic field morphology in the near-Venus wake is essential to the studies of magnetotail dynamics and the planetary plasma escape. In this study we use the magnetic field measurements made by Venus Express during the period of April 2006 to December 2012 to investigate the global magnetic field morphology in the near-Venus magn…
Plasma flows in Saturn's nightside magnetosphere
Thomsen, M. F.; Wilson, R. J.; Tokar, R. L. +1 more
The plasma properties, especially the flow parameters, obtained from numerical integration of Cassini Plasma Spectrometer (CAPS) Ion Mass Spectrometer measurements during intervals when the CAPS field of view encompassed both inward and outward flow directions relative to corotation are examined for nightside data (18-06 local time) during 2006, 2…
Plasma physics of magnetic island coalescence during magnetic reconnection
Huang, Shiyong; Zhou, Meng; Deng, Xiaohua +2 more
A large-scale two-dimensional electromagnetic particle-in-cell simulation was employed to study the magnetic island coalescence/merging process during magnetic reconnection with guide field. The merged island after coalescence is characterized by strong core field and plasma density dip at the island center. We found that the core field enhancemen…
Statistical study of chorus wave distributions in the inner magnetosphere using Ae and solar wind parameters
Aryan, Homayon; Yearby, Keith; Balikhin, Michael +3 more
Energetic electrons within the Earth's radiation belts represent a serious hazard to geostationary satellites. The interactions of electrons with chorus waves play an important role in both the acceleration and loss of radiation belt electrons. The common approach is to present model wave distributions in the inner magnetosphere under different va…
Jupiter's equatorward auroral features: Possible signatures of magnetospheric injections
Bonfond, B.; Gérard, J. -C.; Grodent, D. +2 more
The present study investigates the characteristics of ultraviolet auroral features located equatorward of the main emission appearing in Hubble Space Telescope images of the northern and southern Jovian hemispheres obtained in 2000-2007. On average, one feature is observed every day, but several auroral structures are occasionally seen over a wide…