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Solitary waves observed in the auroral zone: the Cluster multi-spacecraft perspective

Gurnett, D. A.; Balogh, A.; Lakhina, G. S. +15 more

We report on recent measurements of solitary waves made by the Wideband Plasma Wave Receiver located on each of the four Cluster spacecraft at 4.5-6.5R_E (well above the auroral acceleration region) as they cross field lines that map to the auroral zones. These solitary waves are observed in the Wideband data as isolated bipolar and trip…

The strange physics of low frequency mirror mode turbulence in the high temperature plasma of the magnetosheath

Nakamura, R.; Constantinescu, O. D.; Treumann, R. A. +3 more

Mirror mode turbulence is the lowest frequency perpendicular magnetic excitation in magnetized plasma proposed already about half a century ago by Rudakov and Sagdeev (1958) and Chandrasekhar et al. (1958) from fluid theory. Its experimental verification required a relatively long time. It was early recognized that mirror modes for being excited r…

Characteristics of quasi-static potential structures observed in the auroral return current region by Cluster

André, M.; Buchert, S.; Kistler, L. M. +6 more

Temporal and spatial characteristics of intense quasi-static electric fields and associated electric potential structures in the return current region are discussed using Cluster observations at geocentric distances of about 5 Earth radii. Results are presented from four Cluster encounters with such acceleration structures to illustrate common as …