On the ubiquity of magnetic reconnection inside flux transfer event‐like structures at the earth's magnetopause
File(s)Fargette_GRL_2020_accepted.pdf (1.22 MB)
Accepted version
Author(s)
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
Flux transfer events (FTEs) are transient phenomena frequently observed at the Earth's magnetopause. Their usual interpretation is a flux rope moving away from the reconnection region. However, the Magnetospheric Multiscale Mission revealed that magnetic reconnection sometimes occurs inside these structures, questioning their flux rope configuration. Here we investigate 229 FTE‐type structures and find reconnection signatures inside 19% of them. We analyze their large‐scale magnetic topology using electron heat flux and find that it is significantly different across the FTE reconnecting current sheets, demonstrating that they are constituted of two magnetically disconnected structures. We also find that the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) associated with reconnecting FTEs presents a strong By component. We discuss several formation mechanisms to explain these observations. In particular, the maximum magnetic shear model predicts that for large IMF By, two spatially distinct X lines coexist at the magnetopause. They can generate separate magnetic flux tubes that may become interlaced.
Date Issued
2020-03-28
Date Acceptance
2020-02-29
Citation
Geophysical Research Letters, 2020, 47 (6), pp.1-9
ISSN
0094-8276
Publisher
American Geophysical Union (AGU)
Start Page
1
End Page
9
Journal / Book Title
Geophysical Research Letters
Volume
47
Issue
6
Copyright Statement
©2020. American Geophysical Union. All Rights Reserved. This is the accepted version of the following article: Fargette, N., Lavraud, B., Øieroset, M., Phan, T. D., Toledo‐Redondo, S., Kieokaew, R., et al. ( 2020). On the ubiquity of magnetic reconnection inside flux transfer event‐like structures at the Earth's magnetopause. Geophysical Research Letters, 47, e2019GL086726, which has been published in final form at https://doi.org/10.1029/2019GL086726
Sponsor
Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC)
Identifier
https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1029/2019GL086726
Grant Number
ST/S000364/1
Subjects
Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences
Publication Status
Published
Date Publish Online
2020-03-05