The effect of diamagnetic drift on motion of the dayside magnetopause reconnection line

Trenchi, Lorenzo; Marcucci, M. F.; Fear, R. C.

doi:10.1002/2015gl065213

Cited by 15 publications

(19 citation statements)

References 30 publications

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“…Maps of the magnetic shear angle across the magnetopause along with the MMS position and the location of the reconnection line are consistent with a close encounter with the reconnection line; lending support to the ability of the model to locate where magnetic reconnection is likely to occur at the dayside magnetopause. For this event, the northward motion of the reconnection line as determined from the order in which the jets are observed is in agreement with the motion of the reconnection line expected from the diamagnetic drift effect, given the negative B y component as measured in the Geophysical Research Letters 10.1002/2016GL069626 magnetosheath [Trenchi et al, 2015]. A more comprehensive discussion of this event is presented in Trattner et al [2016].…”

Section: Case Of Observed Ion Jet Reversalsupporting

confidence: 73%

Comparison of Magnetospheric Multiscale ion jet signatures with predicted reconnection site locations at the magnetopause

Petrinec

Burch

Fuselier

et al. 2016

Geophysical Research Letters

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Magnetic reconnection at the Earth's magnetopause is the primary process by which solar wind plasma and energy gains access to the magnetosphere. One indication that magnetic reconnection is occurring is the observation of accelerated plasma as a jet tangential to the magnetopause. The direction of ion jets along the magnetopause surface as observed by the Fast Plasma Instrument (FPI) and the Hot Plasma Composition Analyzer (HPCA) instrument on board the recently launched Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) set of spacecraft is examined. For those cases where ion jets are clearly discerned, the direction of origin compares well statistically with the predicted location of magnetic reconnection using convected solar wind observations in conjunction with the Maximum Magnetic Shear model.

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Section: Case Of Observed Ion Jet Reversalsupporting

confidence: 73%

Comparison of Magnetospheric Multiscale ion jet signatures with predicted reconnection site locations at the magnetopause

Petrinec

Burch

Fuselier

et al. 2016

Geophysical Research Letters

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“…This is consistent with the positive‐negative polarity of the FTEs, which is expected for FTEs moving northward of the X line. Moreover, the X line location is probably stable during this event, since the X line motion due to the diamagnetic drift effect is negligible, given the small guide field resulting from the high magnetic shear angle [ Trenchi et al , ].…”

Section: Fte Relation With Reconnection Jetsmentioning

confidence: 99%

A sequence of flux transfer events potentially generated by different generation mechanisms

et al. 2016

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Flux transfer events (FTEs) are magnetic structures generated by time‐varying reconnection at the dayside magnetopause. Understanding their generation mechanism is important, because it is necessary in order to understand the global contribution of FTEs to the convection process. We present observations of several FTEs sequentially observed by Cluster at the subsolar magnetopause. Cluster detected also several reconnection jets, which seem to be systematically associated with the trailing edge of the FTEs. This association is expected only in the FTEs formed by single X line reconnection but could be compatible also with the multiple X line model, when reconnection at one X line is dominant. Instead, it does not seem compatible with original mechanism proposed by Russell and Elphic (1978). For a large FTE, not associated with any reconnection jet, the Grad‐Shafranov reconstruction obtained from Cluster 1 data recovers a flux rope, indicative of multiple X line reconnection. This same FTE was detected also by Cluster 3, which observed an asymmetric signature in the magnetic field component normal to the magnetopause. We show that this asymmetric signature was caused by an outward motion of the magnetopause. The orientation of the other FTEs, obtained from a Grad‐Shafranov optimization, shows considerable spread, despite the relatively steady conditions. Our interpretation is that a combination of single and multiple X line reconnection generated these FTEs. The FTEs in the first part of the crossing, associated with reconnection jets, are generated by the single X line model and may therefore not satisfy the Grad‐Shafranov assumptions so well. Instead, the last FTE, slower, bigger, and well separated from the previous ones, may be formed by multiple X line reconnection.

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“…After that, the spacecraft is moving southward with respect to the X line, remaining probably nearby the northward and then southward magnetospheric separatrices, continuing to detect these fluctuations of electric field and parallel electron velocity, even if with smaller amplitudes. A northward motion of the X line is expected during this event given the positive IMF B Y component, according to the diamagnetic drift effect (Trenchi et al, ). After the southward reconnection jet detected around 12:46:15 UT (see Figure ) an intensification of fluctuations of parallel electric field and electron velocity components is observed, probably in correspondence with the southward magnetospheric separatrix (similar to point 5 in Figure , even though the bipolar perturbation indicating the presence of the FTE structure is not observed).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 90%

Signatures of Magnetic Separatrices at the Borders of a Crater Flux Transfer Event Connected to an Active X‐Line

et al. 2019

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In this paper, we present Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) observations of a flux transfer event (FTE) characterized by a clear signature in the magnetic field magnitude, which shows maximum at the center flanked by two depressions, detected during a period of stable southward interplanetary magnetic field. This class of FTEs are called "crater-FTEs" and have been suggested to be connected with active reconnection X line. The MMS burst mode data allow the identification of intense fluctuations in the components of the electric field and electron velocity parallel to the magnetic field at the borders of the FTE, which are interpreted as signatures of the magnetic separatrices. In particular, the strong and persistent fluctuations of the parallel electron velocity at the borders of this crater-FTE reported for the first time in this paper, sustain the field-aligned current part of the Hall current system along the separatrix layer, and confirm that this FTE is connected with an active reconnection X line. Our observations suggest a stratification of particles inside the reconnection layer, where electrons are flowing toward the X line along the separatrix, are flowing away from the X line along the reconnected field lines adjacent to the separatrices, and more internally ions and electrons are flowing away from the X line with comparable velocities, forming the reconnection jets. This stratification of the reconnection layer forming the FTE, together with the reconnection jet at the trailing edge of the FTE, suggests clearly that this FTE is formed by the single X line generation mechanism.

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The effect of diamagnetic drift on motion of the dayside magnetopause reconnection line

Cited by 15 publications

References 30 publications

Comparison of Magnetospheric Multiscale ion jet signatures with predicted reconnection site locations at the magnetopause

Comparison of Magnetospheric Multiscale ion jet signatures with predicted reconnection site locations at the magnetopause

A sequence of flux transfer events potentially generated by different generation mechanisms

Signatures of Magnetic Separatrices at the Borders of a Crater Flux Transfer Event Connected to an Active X‐Line

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