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Super-efficient Electron Acceleration by an Isolated Magnetic Reconnection
Vaivads, A.; Xu, Y.; Fu, H. S. +1 more
Magnetic reconnection—the process typically lasting for a few seconds in space—is able to accelerate electrons. However, the efficiency of the acceleration during such a short period is still a puzzle. Previous analyses, based on spacecraft measurements in the Earth’s magnetotail, indicate that magnetic reconnection can enhance electron fluxes up …
Explosive Magnetotail Activity
Khotyaintsev, Yuri; Velli, Marco; Runov, Andrei +13 more
Modes and manifestations of the explosive activity in the Earth's magnetotail, as well as its onset mechanisms and key pre-onset conditions are reviewed. Two mechanisms for the generation of the pre-onset current sheet are discussed, namely magnetic flux addition to the tail lobes, or other high-latitude perturbations, and magnetic flux evacuation…
Hybrid-kinetic Simulations of Ion Heating in Alfvénic Turbulence
Quataert, Eliot; Chandran, Benjamin D. G.; Kunz, Matthew W. +1 more
We present three-dimensional, hybrid-kinetic numerical simulations of driven Alfvén-wave turbulence of relevance to the collisionless near-Earth solar wind. Special attention is paid to the spectral transition that occurs near the ion-Larmor scale and to the origins of preferential perpendicular ion heating and of nonthermal wings in the parallel …
Collisionless Magnetic Reconnection and Waves: Progress Review
Khotyaintsev, Yuri V.; Graham, Daniel B.; Vaivads, Andris +1 more
Magnetic reconnection is a fundamental process whereby microscopic plasma processes cause macroscopic changes in magnetic field topology, leading to explosive energy release. Waves and turbulence generated during the reconnection process can produce particle diffusion, and anomalous resistivity, as well as heat the plasma and accelerate plasma par…
Whistler Fan Instability Driven by Strahl Electrons in the Solar Wind
Bale, S. D.; Krasnoselskikh, V.; Mozer, F. S. +3 more
We present a theoretical analysis of electron heat flux inhibition in the solar wind when a significant portion of the heat flux is carried by strahl electrons. We adopt core-strahl velocity distribution functions typical for the solar wind at 0.3-4 au to demonstrate that strahl electrons are capable of generating highly oblique whistler waves at …
Two-Dimensional gcPIC Simulation of Rising-Tone Chorus Waves in a Dipole Magnetic Field
Wang, Xueyi; Wang, Shui; Lu, Quanming +4 more
Rising-tone chorus waves have already been successfully produced in a mirror magnetic field with the use of one- and two-dimensional particle-in-cell (PIC) simulations. However, in reality, the background magnetic field in the inner Earth's magnetosphere is a dipole magnetic field, unlike symmetric mirror fields. In this paper, with the two-dimens…
Energy Range of Electron Rolling Pin Distribution Behind Dipolarization Front
Xu, Y.; Fu, H. S.; Burch, J. L. +4 more
The electron rolling pin distribution, showing electron pitch angles primarily at 0°, 90°, and 180°, has recently been observed behind dipolarization fronts (DFs) and explained using an analytical model. However, the energy range of such distribution has been unknown so far, owing to the low-resolution data in previous spacecraft missions. Here us…
Dimensionality, Coordinate System and Reference Frame for Analysis of In-Situ Space Plasma and Field Data
Wei, Y.; Zong, Q. -G.; Hasegawa, H. +11 more
In the analysis of in-situ space plasma and field data, an establishment of the coordinate system and the frame of reference, helps us greatly simplify a given problem and provides the framework that enables a clear understanding of physical processes by ordering the experimental data. For example, one of the most important tasks of space data ana…
Universality of Lower Hybrid Waves at Earth's Magnetopause
Lavraud, B.; Génot, V.; André, M. +15 more
Waves around the lower hybrid frequency are frequently observed at Earth's magnetopause and readily reach very large amplitudes. Determining the properties of lower hybrid waves is crucial because they are thought to contribute to electron and ion heating, cross-field particle diffusion, anomalous resistivity, and energy transfer between electrons…
Global Empirical Picture of Magnetospheric Substorms Inferred From Multimission Magnetometer Data
Sitnov, M. I.; Tsyganenko, N. A.; Stephens, G. K. +4 more
Magnetospheric substorms represent key explosive processes in the interaction of the Earth's magnetosphere with the solar wind, and their understanding and modeling are critical for space weather forecasting. During substorms, the magnetic field on the nightside is first stretched in the antisunward direction and then it rapidly contracts earthwar…