MESSENGER observations of a flux‐transfer‐event shower at Mercury

Slavin, J. A.; Imber, Suzanne M.; Boardsen, S. A.; DiBraccio, G. A.; Sundberg, T.; Sarantos, M.; Nieves‐Chinchilla, Teresa; Szabó, Á.; Anderson, B. J.; Korth, H.; Zurbuchen, T. H.; Raines, J. M.; Johnson, C. L.; Winslow, R. M.; Killen, R. M.; McNutt, R. L.; Solomon, Sean C.

doi:10.1029/2012ja017926

Cited by 100 publications

(155 citation statements)

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“…These fluctuations grew in amplitude as MESSENGER approached cusp latitudes similar to those seen in the other three DDM passes in Figures 9d, 9f, and 9h. These large-amplitude, several second-long structures are flux transfer event (FTE)-type magnetic flux ropes Slavin et al, 2012). These large-amplitude, several second-long structures are flux transfer event (FTE)-type magnetic flux ropes Slavin et al, 2012).…”

Section: Ddm Flux Transfer Eventsmentioning

confidence: 99%

MESSENGER Observations of Disappearing Dayside Magnetosphere Events at Mercury

et al. 2019

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MErcury Surface, Space ENvironment, GEochemistry, and Ranging (MESSENGER) measurements taken during passes over Mercury's dayside hemisphere indicate that on four occasions the spacecraft remained in the magnetosheath even though it reached altitudes below 300 km. During these disappearing dayside magnetosphere (DDM) events, the spacecraft did not encounter the magnetopause until it was at very high magnetic latitudes, ~66 to 80°. These DDM events stand out with respect to their extremely high solar wind dynamic pressures, Psw ~140 to 290 nPa, and intense southward magnetic fields, Bz ~ −100 to −400 nT, measured in the magnetosheath. In addition, the bow shock was observed very close to the surface during these events with a subsolar altitude of ~1,200 km. It is suggested that DDM events, which are closely associated with coronal mass ejections, are due to solar wind compression and/or reconnection‐driven erosion of the dayside magnetosphere. The very low altitude of the bow shock during these events strongly suggests that the solar wind impacts much of Mercury's sunlit hemisphere during these events. More study of these disappearing dayside events is required, but it is likely that solar wind sputtering of neutrals from the surface into the exosphere maximizes during these intervals.

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Section: Ddm Flux Transfer Eventsmentioning

confidence: 99%

MESSENGER Observations of Disappearing Dayside Magnetosphere Events at Mercury

et al. 2019

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“…Plasmoid chains are highly dynamic configurations: plasmoids can rapidly grow by coalescence [4], bounce [5,6] and eject smaller plasmoids [7]. Observational studies revealed the presence of multiple plasmoids in planetary magnetospheric environments [8][9][10][11]. In addition, the possible presence of plasmoid chains has been suggested in the solar corona [12].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Kinetic simulations of plasmoid chain dynamics

Markidis¹,

Henri²,

Lapenta³

et al. 2013

Physics of Plasmas

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The dynamics of a plasmoid chain is studied with three dimensional Particle-in-Cell simulations.The evolution of the system with and without a uniform guide field, whose strength is 1/3 the asymptotic magnetic field, is investigated. The plasmoid chain forms by spontaneous magnetic reconnection: the tearing instability rapidly disrupts the initial current sheet generating several small-scale plasmoids, that rapidly grow in size coalescing and kinking. The plasmoid kink is mainly driven by the coalescence process. It is found that the presence of guide field strongly influences the evolution of the plasmoid chain. Without a guide field, a main reconnection site dominates and smaller reconnection regions are included in larger ones, leading to an hierarchical structure of the plasmoid-dominated current sheet. On the contrary in presence of a guide field, plasmoids have approximately the same size and the hierarchical structure does not emerge, a strong core magnetic field develops in the center of the plasmoid in the direction of the existing guide field, and bump-on-tail instability, leading to the formation of electron holes, is detected in proximity of the plasmoids. * markidis@pdc.kth.se 2

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“…FTEs [Slavin et al, 2008[Slavin et al, , 2012bImber et al, 2014]. FTEs are created as 439 reconnection occurs between the IMF and planetary magnetic field at multiple 440 dayside X-lines.…”

Section: Flux Transfer Events 437mentioning

confidence: 99%