Quasi-continuous reconnection accompanied by FTEs during IMF Bz≈0 nT observed by Double Star TC-1 at the dawnside magnetopause
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Accepted version
Author(s)
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
During a one-hour interval of interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) Bz≈0 nT, the equatorial
spacecraft Double Star TC-1 encountered the dawn flank magnetopause many times at the magnetic local
time (MLT) of about 08:00 and the latitude of about -27°. During each encounter, reconnection jets were
observed with their velocities up to more than 500 km/s, significantly higher than the background flow in
the magnetosheath. The fast flows match the theoretical prediction of Alfvénic acceleration well. The
medium temperature and density of ions in the boundary layer indicate the open magnetic field topology
inside this layer. The mainly southward and tailward flows of the plasma jets alongside with the negative
slopes of the Walén test indicate that the spacecraft was located south of the reconnection site, consistent
with both anti-parallel and component reconnection models. The accelerated flows were observed lasting
for about one hour, with some modulations by the oscillations of the magnetopause, but no reversals in
the direction of Vz were found during the interval. The significantly enhanced flows in the boundary layer
compared to the adjacent magnetosheath indicate that the reconnection was quasi-continuously active at
the magnetopause northward of the spacecraft under such IMF conditions. At the same time, the bipolar
signatures in BN with enhancements of the magnetic field indicate the occurrence of the Flux Transfer
Events (FTEs). The observed reconnection was quasi-continuous, whereas the simultaneously
accompanied FTEs were time-dependent under the IMF Bz≈0 nT. For this event, however, it is not
possible to identify whether the reconnection was anti-parallel or component because the TC-1 was far
away from the reconnection site.
spacecraft Double Star TC-1 encountered the dawn flank magnetopause many times at the magnetic local
time (MLT) of about 08:00 and the latitude of about -27°. During each encounter, reconnection jets were
observed with their velocities up to more than 500 km/s, significantly higher than the background flow in
the magnetosheath. The fast flows match the theoretical prediction of Alfvénic acceleration well. The
medium temperature and density of ions in the boundary layer indicate the open magnetic field topology
inside this layer. The mainly southward and tailward flows of the plasma jets alongside with the negative
slopes of the Walén test indicate that the spacecraft was located south of the reconnection site, consistent
with both anti-parallel and component reconnection models. The accelerated flows were observed lasting
for about one hour, with some modulations by the oscillations of the magnetopause, but no reversals in
the direction of Vz were found during the interval. The significantly enhanced flows in the boundary layer
compared to the adjacent magnetosheath indicate that the reconnection was quasi-continuously active at
the magnetopause northward of the spacecraft under such IMF conditions. At the same time, the bipolar
signatures in BN with enhancements of the magnetic field indicate the occurrence of the Flux Transfer
Events (FTEs). The observed reconnection was quasi-continuous, whereas the simultaneously
accompanied FTEs were time-dependent under the IMF Bz≈0 nT. For this event, however, it is not
possible to identify whether the reconnection was anti-parallel or component because the TC-1 was far
away from the reconnection site.
Date Issued
2015-08-28
Date Acceptance
2015-08-19
Citation
Advances in Space Research, 2015, 58 (2), pp.208-217
ISSN
0273-1177
Publisher
Elsevier
Start Page
208
End Page
217
Journal / Book Title
Advances in Space Research
Volume
58
Issue
2
Copyright Statement
© 2015, Elsevier. Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
Subjects
continuous reconnection
flank magnetopause
Flux Transfer Event
Publication Status
Published