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Hänni N, Altwegg K, Combi M, Fuselier SA, De Keyser J, Rubin M, Wampfler SF. Identification and characterization of a new ensemble of cometary organic molecules. Nat Commun 2022; 13:3639. [PMID: 35752637 PMCID: PMC9233696 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-31346-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2021] [Accepted: 06/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
In-situ study of comet 1P/Halley during its 1986 apparition revealed a surprising abundance of organic coma species. It remained unclear, whether or not these species originated from polymeric matter. Now, high-resolution mass-spectrometric data collected at comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko by ESA’s Rosetta mission unveil the chemical structure of complex cometary organics. Here, we identify an ensemble of individual molecules with masses up to 140 Da while demonstrating inconsistency of the data with relevant amounts of polymeric matter. The ensemble has an average composition of C1H1.56O0.134N0.046S0.017, identical to meteoritic soluble organic matter, and includes a plethora of chain-based, cyclic, and aromatic hydrocarbons at an approximate ratio of 6:3:1. Its compositional and structural properties, except for the H/C ratio, resemble those of other Solar System reservoirs of organics—from organic material in the Saturnian ring rain to meteoritic soluble and insoluble organic matter –, which is compatible with a shared prestellar history. A new analysis of Rosetta mass spectra reveals an ensemble of complex organic molecules with striking similarities to other organic reservoirs in the Solar System, including Saturn’s ring rain material, pointing at a likely joint prestellar history.
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Affiliation(s)
- N Hänni
- Physics Institute, Space Research & Planetary Sciences, University of Bern, Sidlerstrasse 5, 3012, Bern, Switzerland.
| | - K Altwegg
- Physics Institute, Space Research & Planetary Sciences, University of Bern, Sidlerstrasse 5, 3012, Bern, Switzerland
| | - M Combi
- Department of Climate and Space Sciences and Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - S A Fuselier
- Space Science Directorate, Southwest Research Institute, San Antonio, TX, USA.,Department of Physics and Astronomy, The University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - J De Keyser
- Royal Belgian Institute for Space Aeronomy, BIRA-IASB, Brussels, Belgium
| | - M Rubin
- Physics Institute, Space Research & Planetary Sciences, University of Bern, Sidlerstrasse 5, 3012, Bern, Switzerland
| | - S F Wampfler
- Center for Space and Habitability, University of Bern, Gesellschaftsstrasse 6, 3012, Bern, Switzerland
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2
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Phan TD, Verniero JL, Larson D, Lavraud B, Drake JF, Øieroset M, Eastwood JP, Bale SD, Livi R, Halekas JS, Whittlesey PL, Rahmati A, Stansby D, Pulupa M, MacDowall RJ, Szabo PA, Koval A, Desai M, Fuselier SA, Velli M, Hesse M, Pyakurel PS, Maheshwari K, Kasper JC, Stevens JM, Case AW, Raouafi NE. Parker Solar Probe Observations of Solar Wind Energetic Proton Beams Produced by Magnetic Reconnection in the Near-Sun Heliospheric Current Sheet. Geophys Res Lett 2022; 49:e2021GL096986. [PMID: 35864893 PMCID: PMC9286436 DOI: 10.1029/2021gl096986] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2021] [Revised: 03/21/2022] [Accepted: 03/30/2022] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
We report observations of reconnection exhausts in the Heliospheric Current Sheet (HCS) during Parker Solar Probe Encounters 08 and 07, at 16 R s and 20 R s , respectively. Heliospheric current sheet (HCS) reconnection accelerated protons to almost twice the solar wind speed and increased the proton core energy by a factor of ∼3, due to the Alfvén speed being comparable to the solar wind flow speed at these near-Sun distances. Furthermore, protons were energized to super-thermal energies. During E08, energized protons were found to have leaked out of the exhaust along separatrix field lines, appearing as field-aligned energetic proton beams in a broad region outside the HCS. Concurrent dropouts of strahl electrons, indicating disconnection from the Sun, provide further evidence for the HCS being the source of the beams. Around the HCS in E07, there were also proton beams but without electron strahl dropouts, indicating that their origin was not the local HCS reconnection exhaust.
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Affiliation(s)
- T. D. Phan
- SSLUniversity of CaliforniaBerkeleyCAUSA
| | | | - D. Larson
- SSLUniversity of CaliforniaBerkeleyCAUSA
| | - B. Lavraud
- Laboratoire d'Astrophysique de BordeauxUniversity BordeauxPessacFrance
- IRAPCNRSCNESUniversité de ToulouseToulouseFrance
| | | | | | | | - S. D. Bale
- SSLUniversity of CaliforniaBerkeleyCAUSA
- Physics DepartmentUniversity of CaliforniaBerkeleyCAUSA
| | - R. Livi
- SSLUniversity of CaliforniaBerkeleyCAUSA
| | | | | | - A. Rahmati
- SSLUniversity of CaliforniaBerkeleyCAUSA
| | - D. Stansby
- Mullard Space Science LaboratoryUniversity College LondonDorkingUK
| | - M. Pulupa
- SSLUniversity of CaliforniaBerkeleyCAUSA
| | | | - P. A. Szabo
- NASA Goddard Space Flight CenterGreenbeltMDUSA
| | - A. Koval
- NASA Goddard Space Flight CenterGreenbeltMDUSA
- University of MarylandBaltimore CountyBaltimoreMDUSA
| | - M. Desai
- Southwest Research InstituteSan AntonioTXUSA
| | | | - M. Velli
- University of CaliforniaLos AngelesCAUSA
| | - M. Hesse
- NASA Ames Research CenterMoffett FieldCAUSA
| | | | | | - J. C. Kasper
- Climate and Space Sciences and EngineeringUniversity of MichiganAnn ArborMIUSA
| | | | - A. W. Case
- Smithsonian Astrophysical ObservatoryCambridgeMAUSA
| | - N. E. Raouafi
- Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics LaboratoryLaurelMDUSA
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3
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Mostafavi P, Burlaga LF, Cairns IH, Fuselier SA, Fraternale F, Gurnett DA, Kim TK, Kurth WS, Pogorelov NV, Provornikova E, Richardson JD, Turner DL, Zank GP. Shocks in the Very Local Interstellar Medium. Space Sci Rev 2022; 218:27. [PMID: 35574274 PMCID: PMC9085707 DOI: 10.1007/s11214-022-00893-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2022] [Accepted: 04/15/2022] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
Large-scale disturbances generated by the Sun's dynamics first propagate through the heliosphere, influence the heliosphere's outer boundaries, and then traverse and modify the very local interstellar medium (VLISM). The existence of shocks in the VLISM was initially suggested by Voyager observations of the 2-3 kHz radio emissions in the heliosphere. A couple of decades later, both Voyagers crossed the definitive edge of our heliosphere and became the first ever spacecraft to sample interstellar space. Since Voyager 1's entrance into the VLISM, it sampled electron plasma oscillation events that indirectly measure the medium's density, increasing as it moves further away from the heliopause. Some of the observed electron oscillation events in the VLISM were associated with the local heliospheric shock waves. The observed VLISM shocks were very different than heliospheric shocks. They were very weak and broad, and the usual dissipation via wave-particle interactions could not explain their structure. Estimates of the dissipation associated with the collisionality show that collisions can determine the VLISM shock structure. According to theory and models, the existence of a bow shock or wave in front of our heliosphere is still an open question as there are no direct observations yet. This paper reviews the outstanding observations recently made by the Voyager 1 and 2 spacecraft, and our current understanding of the properties of shocks/waves in the VLISM. We present some of the most exciting open questions related to the VLISM and shock waves that should be addressed in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- P. Mostafavi
- Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, MD 20723 USA
| | - L. F. Burlaga
- NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Code 673, Greenbelt, MD 20771 USA
| | - I. H. Cairns
- School of Physics, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006 Australia
| | - S. A. Fuselier
- Southwest Research Institute, P.O. Drawer 28510, San Antonio, TX 78228 USA
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78249 USA
| | - F. Fraternale
- Center for Space Plasma and Aeronomic Research (CSPAR), University of Alabama in Huntsville, Huntsville, AL 35805 USA
| | - D. A. Gurnett
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242 USA
| | - T. K. Kim
- Center for Space Plasma and Aeronomic Research (CSPAR), University of Alabama in Huntsville, Huntsville, AL 35805 USA
| | - W. S. Kurth
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242 USA
| | - N. V. Pogorelov
- Center for Space Plasma and Aeronomic Research (CSPAR), University of Alabama in Huntsville, Huntsville, AL 35805 USA
- Department of Space Science, University of Alabama in Huntsville, Huntsville, AL 35805 USA
| | - E. Provornikova
- Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, MD 20723 USA
| | - J. D. Richardson
- Kavli Institute for Astrophysics and Space Research, Cambridge, MA USA
- Department of Physics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA USA
| | - D. L. Turner
- Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, MD 20723 USA
| | - G. P. Zank
- Center for Space Plasma and Aeronomic Research (CSPAR), University of Alabama in Huntsville, Huntsville, AL 35805 USA
- Department of Space Science, University of Alabama in Huntsville, Huntsville, AL 35805 USA
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4
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Cozzani G, Khotyaintsev YV, Graham DB, Egedal J, André M, Vaivads A, Alexandrova A, Le Contel O, Nakamura R, Fuselier SA, Russell CT, Burch JL. Structure of a Perturbed Magnetic Reconnection Electron Diffusion Region in the Earth's Magnetotail. Phys Rev Lett 2021; 127:215101. [PMID: 34860109 DOI: 10.1103/physrevlett.127.215101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2021] [Revised: 09/22/2021] [Accepted: 10/07/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
We report in situ observations of an electron diffusion region (EDR) and adjacent separatrix region in the Earth's magnetotail. We observe significant magnetic field oscillations near the lower hybrid frequency which propagate perpendicularly to the reconnection plane. We also find that the strong electron-scale gradients close to the EDR exhibit significant oscillations at a similar frequency. Such oscillations are not expected for a crossing of a steady 2D EDR, and can be explained by a complex motion of the reconnection plane induced by current sheet kinking propagating in the out-of-reconnection-plane direction. Thus, all three spatial dimensions have to be taken into account to explain the observed perturbed EDR crossing. These results shed light on the interplay between magnetic reconnection and current sheet drift instabilities in electron-scale current sheets and highlight the need for adopting a 3D description of the EDR, going beyond the two-dimensional and steady-state conception of reconnection.
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Affiliation(s)
- G Cozzani
- Swedish Institute of Space Physics, Uppsala 75121, Sweden
| | | | - D B Graham
- Swedish Institute of Space Physics, Uppsala 75121, Sweden
| | - J Egedal
- Department of Physics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, USA
| | - M André
- Swedish Institute of Space Physics, Uppsala 75121, Sweden
| | - A Vaivads
- Space and Plasma Physics, School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm 11428, Sweden
| | - A Alexandrova
- Laboratoire de Physique des Plasmas, CNRS, Sorbonne Université, Université Paris-Saclay, Observatoire de Paris, École Polytechnique Institut Polytechnique de Paris, Palaiseau 91128, France
| | - O Le Contel
- Laboratoire de Physique des Plasmas, CNRS, Sorbonne Université, Université Paris-Saclay, Observatoire de Paris, École Polytechnique Institut Polytechnique de Paris, Palaiseau 91128, France
| | - R Nakamura
- Space Research Institute, Austrian Academy of Sciences, Graz 8042, Austria
| | - S A Fuselier
- Southwest Research Institute, San Antonio, Texas 78238, USA
- University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas 78249, USA
| | - C T Russell
- University of California, Los Angeles, California 90095, USA
| | - J L Burch
- Southwest Research Institute, San Antonio, Texas 78238, USA
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5
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Hart ST, Dayeh MA, Reisenfeld DB, Janzen PH, McComas DJ, Allegrini F, Fuselier SA, Ogasawara K, Szalay JR, Funsten HO, Petrinec SM. Probing the Magnetosheath Boundaries Using Interstellar Boundary Explorer (IBEX) Orbital Encounters. J Geophys Res Space Phys 2021; 126:e2021JA029278. [PMID: 35865412 PMCID: PMC9286846 DOI: 10.1029/2021ja029278] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2021] [Revised: 06/16/2021] [Accepted: 06/16/2021] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Inside the magnetosheath, the IBEX-Hi energetic neutral atom (ENA) imager measures a distinct background count rate that is more than 10 times the typical heliospheric ENA emissions observed when IBEX is outside the magnetosheath. The source of this enhancement is magnetosheath ions of solar wind (SW) origin that deflect around the Earth's magnetopause (MP), scatter and neutralize from the anti-sunward part of the IBEX-Hi sunshade, and continue into the instrument as neutral atoms, behaving indistinguishably from ENAs emitted from distant plasma sources. While this background pollutes observations of outer heliospheric ENAs, it provides a clear signature of IBEX crossings over the magnetospheric boundaries. In this study, we investigate IBEX encounters with the magnetosheath boundaries using ∼8 yr of orbital data, and we determine the MP and bow shock (BS) locations derived from this background signal. We find 280 BS crossings from X GSE ∼ 11 Re to X GSE ∼ -36 Re and 241 MP crossings from X GSE ∼ 6 Re to X GSE ∼ -48 Re. We compare IBEX BS and MP crossing locations to those from IMP-8, Geotail, Cluster, Magion-4, ISEE, and Magnetospheric Multiscale Mission, and we find that IBEX crossing locations overlap with the BS and MP locations inferred from these other data sets. In this paper, we demonstrate how IBEX can be used to identify magnetosheath crossings, and extend boundary observations well past the terminator, thus further constraining future models of magnetosheath boundaries. Furthermore, we use the IBEX data set to show observational evidence of near-Earth magnetotail squeezing during periods of strong interplanetary magnetic field B y.
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Affiliation(s)
- S. T. Hart
- Southwest Research InstituteSan AntonioTXUSA
- Department of Physics and AstronomyUniversity of Texas at San AntonioSan AntonioTXUSA
| | - M. A. Dayeh
- Southwest Research InstituteSan AntonioTXUSA
- Department of Physics and AstronomyUniversity of Texas at San AntonioSan AntonioTXUSA
| | | | - P. H. Janzen
- Department of Physics and AstronomyUniversity of MontanaMissoulaMTUSA
| | - D. J. McComas
- Department of Astrophysical SciencesPrinceton UniversityPrincetonNJUSA
| | - F. Allegrini
- Southwest Research InstituteSan AntonioTXUSA
- Department of Physics and AstronomyUniversity of Texas at San AntonioSan AntonioTXUSA
| | - S. A. Fuselier
- Southwest Research InstituteSan AntonioTXUSA
- Department of Physics and AstronomyUniversity of Texas at San AntonioSan AntonioTXUSA
| | | | - J. R. Szalay
- Department of Astrophysical SciencesPrinceton UniversityPrincetonNJUSA
| | | | - S. M. Petrinec
- Lockheed Martin Advanced Technology CenterPalo AltoCAUSA
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6
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Vines SK, Anderson BJ, Allen RC, Denton RE, Engebretson MJ, Johnson JR, Toledo‐Redondo S, Lee JH, Turner DL, Ergun RE, Strangeway RJ, Russell CT, Wei H, Torbert RB, Fuselier SA, Giles BL, Burch JL. Determining EMIC Wave Vector Properties Through Multi-Point Measurements: The Wave Curl Analysis. J Geophys Res Space Phys 2021; 126:e2020JA028922. [PMID: 33868890 PMCID: PMC8047877 DOI: 10.1029/2020ja028922] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2020] [Revised: 01/08/2021] [Accepted: 01/19/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Electromagnetic ion cyclotron (EMIC) waves play important roles in particle loss processes in the magnetosphere. Determining the evolution of EMIC waves as they propagate and how this evolution affects wave-particle interactions requires accurate knowledge of the wave vector, k. We present a technique using the curl of the wave magnetic field to determine k observationally, enabled by the unique configuration and instrumentation of the Magnetospheric MultiScale (MMS) spacecraft. The wave curl analysis is demonstrated for synthetic arbitrary electromagnetic waves with varying properties typical of observed EMIC waves. The method is also applied to an EMIC wave interval observed by MMS on October 28, 2015. The derived wave properties and k from the wave curl analysis for the observed EMIC wave are compared with the Waves in Homogenous, Anisotropic, Multi-component Plasma (WHAMP) wave dispersion solution and with results from other single- and multi-spacecraft techniques. We find good agreement between k from the wave curl analysis, k determined from other observational techniques, and k determined from WHAMP. Additionally, the variation of k due to the time and frequency intervals used in the wave curl analysis is explored. This exploration demonstrates that the method is robust when applied to a wave containing at least 3-4 wave periods and over a rather wide frequency range encompassing the peak wave emission. These results provide confidence that we are able to directly determine the wave vector properties using this multi-spacecraft method implementation, enabling systematic studies of EMIC wave k properties with MMS.
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Affiliation(s)
- S. K. Vines
- The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics LaboratoryLaurelMDUSA
| | - B. J. Anderson
- The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics LaboratoryLaurelMDUSA
| | - R. C. Allen
- The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics LaboratoryLaurelMDUSA
| | - R. E. Denton
- Department of Physics and AstronomyDartmouth CollegeHanoverNHUSA
| | | | - J. R. Johnson
- Department of EngineeringAndrews UniversityBerrien SpringsMIUSA
| | - S. Toledo‐Redondo
- Department of Electromagnetism and ElectronicsUniversity of MurciaMurciaSpain
| | - J. H. Lee
- The Aerospace CorporationEl SegundoCAUSA
| | - D. L. Turner
- The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics LaboratoryLaurelMDUSA
| | - R. E. Ergun
- Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space PhysicsUniversity of Colorado at BoulderBoulderCOUSA
| | - R. J. Strangeway
- Department of Earth, Planetary, and Space SciencesInstitute for Geophysics and Planetary PhysicsUniversity of California at Los AngelesLos AngelesCAUSA
| | - C. T. Russell
- Department of Earth, Planetary, and Space SciencesInstitute for Geophysics and Planetary PhysicsUniversity of California at Los AngelesLos AngelesCAUSA
| | - H. Wei
- Department of Earth, Planetary, and Space SciencesInstitute for Geophysics and Planetary PhysicsUniversity of California at Los AngelesLos AngelesCAUSA
| | - R. B. Torbert
- Space Science CenterUniversity of New HampshireDurhamNHUSA
- Southwest Research InstituteSan AntonioTXUSA
| | - S. A. Fuselier
- Southwest Research InstituteSan AntonioTXUSA
- Department of Physics and AstronomyUniversity of Texas at San AntonioSan AntonioTXUSA
| | - B. L. Giles
- NASA Goddard Space Flight CenterGreenbeltMDUSA
| | - J. L. Burch
- Southwest Research InstituteSan AntonioTXUSA
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7
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Trattner KJ, Petrinec SM, Fuselier SA. The Location of Magnetic Reconnection at Earth's Magnetopause. Space Sci Rev 2021; 217:41. [PMID: 34720216 PMCID: PMC8550343 DOI: 10.1007/s11214-021-00817-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/08/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
One of the major questions about magnetic reconnection is how specific solar wind and interplanetary magnetic field conditions influence where reconnection occurs at the Earth's magnetopause. There are two reconnection scenarios discussed in the literature: a) anti-parallel reconnection and b) component reconnection. Early spacecraft observations were limited to the detection of accelerated ion beams in the magnetopause boundary layer to determine the general direction of the reconnection X-line location with respect to the spacecraft. An improved view of the reconnection location at the magnetopause evolved from ionospheric emissions observed by polar-orbiting imagers. These observations and the observations of accelerated ion beams revealed that both scenarios occur at the magnetopause. Improved methodology using the time-of-flight effect of precipitating ions in the cusp regions and the cutoff velocity of the precipitating and mirroring ion populations was used to pinpoint magnetopause reconnection locations for a wide range of solar wind conditions. The results from these methodologies have been used to construct an empirical reconnection X-line model known as the Maximum Magnetic Shear model. Since this model's inception, several tests have confirmed its validity and have resulted in modifications to the model for certain solar wind conditions. This review article summarizes the observational evidence for the location of magnetic reconnection at the Earth's magnetopause, emphasizing the properties and efficacy of the Maximum Magnetic Shear Model.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - S. A. Fuselier
- Southwest Research Institute, San Antonio, TX USA
- University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX USA
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8
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Fuselier SA, Dayeh MA, Galli A, Funsten HO, Schwadron NA, Petrinec SM, Trattner KJ, McComas DJ, Burch JL, Toledo‐Redondo S, Szalay JR, Strangeway RJ. Neutral Atom Imaging of the Solar Wind-Magnetosphere-Exosphere Interaction Near the Subsolar Magnetopause. Geophys Res Lett 2020; 47:e2020GL089362. [PMID: 33380756 PMCID: PMC7757190 DOI: 10.1029/2020gl089362] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2020] [Revised: 08/13/2020] [Accepted: 09/02/2020] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Energetic neutral atoms (ENAs) created by charge-exchange of ions with the Earth's hydrogen exosphere near the subsolar magnetopause yield information on the distribution of plasma in the outer magnetosphere and magnetosheath. ENA observations from the Interstellar Boundary Explorer (IBEX) are used to image magnetosheath plasma and, for the first time, low-energy magnetospheric plasma near the magnetopause. These images show that magnetosheath plasma is distributed fairly evenly near the subsolar magnetopause; however, low-energy magnetospheric plasma is not distributed evenly in the outer magnetosphere. Simultaneous images and in situ observations from the Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) spacecraft from November 2015 (during the solar cycle declining phase) are used to derive the exospheric density. The ~11-17 cm-3 density at 10 RE is similar to that obtained previously for solar minimum. Thus, these combined results indicate that the exospheric density 10 RE from the Earth may have a weak dependence on solar cycle.
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Affiliation(s)
- S. A. Fuselier
- Southwest Research InstituteSan AntonioTXUSA
- Department of Physics and AstronomyUniversity of Texas at San AntonioSan AntonioTXUSA
| | - M. A. Dayeh
- Southwest Research InstituteSan AntonioTXUSA
- Department of Physics and AstronomyUniversity of Texas at San AntonioSan AntonioTXUSA
| | - A. Galli
- Physics InstituteUniversity of BernBernSwitzerland
| | | | | | - S. M. Petrinec
- Lockheed Martin Advanced Technology CenterPalo AltoCAUSA
| | - K. J. Trattner
- Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space PhysicsUniversity of Colorado BoulderBoulderCOUSA
| | - D. J. McComas
- Department of Astrophysical SciencesPrinceton UniversityPrincetonNJUSA
| | - J. L. Burch
- Southwest Research InstituteSan AntonioTXUSA
| | - S. Toledo‐Redondo
- Institut de Recherche en Astrophysique et PlanétologieUniversité de ToulouseToulouseFrance
- Department of Electromagnetism and ElectronicsUniversity of MurciaMurciaSpain
| | - J. R. Szalay
- Department of Astrophysical SciencesPrinceton UniversityPrincetonNJUSA
| | - R. J. Strangeway
- Earth and Space SciencesUniversity of CaliforniaLos AngelesCAUSA
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9
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Bingham ST, Cohen IJ, Mauk BH, Turner DL, Mitchell DG, Vines SK, Fuselier SA, Torbert RB, Burch JL. Charge-State-Dependent Energization of Suprathermal Ions During Substorm Injections Observed by MMS in the Magnetotail. J Geophys Res Space Phys 2020; 125:e2020JA028144. [PMID: 33133997 PMCID: PMC7583365 DOI: 10.1029/2020ja028144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2020] [Revised: 06/26/2020] [Accepted: 07/22/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Understanding the energization processes and constituent composition of the plasma and energetic particles injected into the near-Earth region from the tail is an important component of understanding magnetospheric dynamics. In this study, we present multiple case studies of the high-energy (≳40 keV) suprathermal ion populations during energetic particle enhancement events observed by the Energetic Ion Spectrometer (EIS) on NASA's Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) mission in the magnetotail. We present results from correlation analysis of the flux response between different energy channels of different ion species (hydrogen, helium, and oxygen) for multiple cases. We demonstrate that this technique can be used to infer the dominant charge state of the heavy ions, despite the fact that charge is not directly measured by EIS. Using this technique, we find that the energization and dispersion of suprathermal ions during energetic particle enhancements concurrent with (or near) fast plasma flows are ordered by energy per charge state (E/q) throughout the magnetotail regions examined (~7 to 25 Earth radii). The ions with the highest energies (≳300 keV) are helium and oxygen of solar wind origin, which obtain their greater energization due to their higher charge states. Additionally, the case studies show that during these injections the flux ratio of enhancement is also well ordered by E/q. These results expand on previous results which showed that high-energy total ion measurements in the magnetosphere are dominated by high-charge-state heavy ions and that protons are often not the dominant species above ~300 keV.
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Affiliation(s)
- S. T. Bingham
- The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics LaboratoryLaurelMDUSA
| | - I. J. Cohen
- The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics LaboratoryLaurelMDUSA
| | - B. H. Mauk
- The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics LaboratoryLaurelMDUSA
| | - D. L. Turner
- The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics LaboratoryLaurelMDUSA
| | - D. G. Mitchell
- The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics LaboratoryLaurelMDUSA
| | - S. K. Vines
- The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics LaboratoryLaurelMDUSA
| | - S. A. Fuselier
- Southwest Research InstituteSan AntonioTXUSA
- Department of Physics and AstronomyUniversity of Texas at San AntonioSan AntonioTXUSA
| | - R. B. Torbert
- Southwest Research InstituteSan AntonioTXUSA
- Space Science CenterUniversity of New HampshireDurhamNHUSA
| | - J. L. Burch
- Southwest Research InstituteSan AntonioTXUSA
- Department of Physics and AstronomyUniversity of Texas at San AntonioSan AntonioTXUSA
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10
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Dayeh MA, Szalay JR, Ogasawara K, Fuselier SA, McComas DJ, Funsten HO, Petrinec SM, Schwadron NA, Zirnstein EJ. First Global Images of Ion Energization in the Terrestrial Foreshock by the Interstellar Boundary Explorer. Geophys Res Lett 2020; 47:e2020GL088188. [PMID: 33132458 PMCID: PMC7583366 DOI: 10.1029/2020gl088188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2020] [Revised: 06/17/2020] [Accepted: 07/19/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
The Interstellar Boundary Explorer (IBEX) mission provides global energetic neutral atom (ENA) observations from the heliosphere and the Earth's magnetosphere, including spatial, temporal, and energy information. IBEX views the magnetosphere from the sides and almost always perpendicular to noon-midnight plane. We report the first ENA images of the energization process in the Earth's ion foreshock and magnetosheath regions. We show ENA flux and spectral images of the dayside magnetosphere with significant energization of ENA plasma sources (above ~2.7 keV) in the region magnetically connected to the Earth's bow shock (BS) in its quasi-parallel configuration of the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF). We also show that the ion energization increases gradually with decreasing IMF-BS angle, suggesting more efficient suprathermal ion acceleration deeper in the quasi-parallel foreshock.
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Affiliation(s)
- M. A. Dayeh
- Space Science and Engineering DivisionSouthwest Research InstituteSan AntonioTXUSA
- Department of Physics and AstronomyUniversity of Texas at San AntonioSan AntonioTXUSA
| | - J. R. Szalay
- Department of Astrophysical SciencesPrinceton UniversityPrincetonNJUSA
| | - K. Ogasawara
- Space Science and Engineering DivisionSouthwest Research InstituteSan AntonioTXUSA
| | - S. A. Fuselier
- Space Science and Engineering DivisionSouthwest Research InstituteSan AntonioTXUSA
- Department of Physics and AstronomyUniversity of Texas at San AntonioSan AntonioTXUSA
| | - D. J. McComas
- Department of Astrophysical SciencesPrinceton UniversityPrincetonNJUSA
| | - H. O. Funsten
- ISR DivisionLos Alamos National LaboratoryLos AlamosNMUSA
| | - S. M. Petrinec
- Lockheed Martin Advanced Technology CenterPalo AltoCAUSA
| | | | - E. J. Zirnstein
- Department of Astrophysical SciencesPrinceton UniversityPrincetonNJUSA
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11
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Petrinec SM, Burch JL, Chandler M, Farrugia CJ, Fuselier SA, Giles BL, Gomez RG, Mukherjee J, Paterson WR, Russell CT, Sibeck DG, Strangeway RJ, Torbert RB, Trattner KJ, Vines SK, Zhao C. Characteristics of Minor Ions and Electrons in Flux Transfer Events Observed by the Magnetospheric Multiscale Mission. J Geophys Res Space Phys 2020; 125:e2020JA027778. [PMID: 32999806 PMCID: PMC7507212 DOI: 10.1029/2020ja027778] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2020] [Revised: 03/18/2020] [Accepted: 04/15/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
In this study, the ion composition of flux transfer events (FTEs) observed within the magnetosheath proper is examined. These FTEs were observed just upstream of the Earth's postnoon magnetopause by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) spacecraft constellation. The minor ion characteristics are described using energy spectrograms, flux distributions, and ion moments as the constellation encountered each FTE. In conjunction with electron data and magnetic field observations, such observations provide important contextual information on the formation, topologies, and evolution of FTEs. In particular, minor ions, when combined with the field-aligned streaming of electrons, are reliable indicators of FTE topology. The observations are also placed (i) in context of the solar wind magnetic field configuration, (ii) the connection of the sampled flux tube to the ionosphere, and (iii) the location relative to the modeled reconnection line at the magnetopause. While protons and alpha particles were often depleted within the FTEs relative to the surrounding magnetosheath plasma, the He+ and O+ populations showed clear enhancements either near the center or near the edges of the FTE, and the bulk plasma flow directions are consistent with magnetic reconnection northward of the spacecraft and convection from the dayside toward the flank magnetopause.
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Affiliation(s)
- S. M. Petrinec
- Lockheed Martin Advanced Technology CenterPalo AltoCAUSA
| | - J. L. Burch
- Southwest Research InstituteSan AntonioTXUSA
| | - M. Chandler
- NASA Marshall Space Flight CenterHuntsvilleALUSA
| | - C. J. Farrugia
- Space Science CenterUniversity of New HampshireDurhamNHUSA
| | - S. A. Fuselier
- Southwest Research InstituteSan AntonioTXUSA
- Department of Physics and AstronomyUniversity of Texas at San AntonioSan AntonioTXUSA
| | - B. L. Giles
- NASA Goddard Space Flight CenterGreenbeltMDUSA
| | - R. G. Gomez
- Southwest Research InstituteSan AntonioTXUSA
- Department of Physics and AstronomyUniversity of Texas at San AntonioSan AntonioTXUSA
| | | | | | - C. T. Russell
- Earth and Space SciencesUniversity of CaliforniaLos AngelesCAUSA
| | | | - R. J. Strangeway
- Earth and Space SciencesUniversity of CaliforniaLos AngelesCAUSA
| | - R. B. Torbert
- Space Science CenterUniversity of New HampshireDurhamNHUSA
| | - K. J. Trattner
- Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space PhysicsUniversity of Colorado BoulderBoulderCOUSA
| | - S. K. Vines
- The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics LaboratoryLaurelMDUSA
| | - C. Zhao
- Earth and Space SciencesUniversity of CaliforniaLos AngelesCAUSA
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12
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Luspay-Kuti A, Altwegg K, Berthelier JJ, Beth A, Dhooghe F, Fiethe B, Fuselier SA, Gombosi TI, Hansen KC, Hässig M, Livadiotis G, Mall U, Mandt KE, Mousis O, Petrinec SM, Rubin M, Trattner KJ, Tzou CY, Wurz P. Comparison of neutral outgassing of comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko inbound and outbound beyond 3 AU from ROSINA/DFMS. Astron Astrophys 2019; 630:A30. [PMID: 32699429 PMCID: PMC7375265 DOI: 10.1051/0004-6361/201833536] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
CONTEXT Pre-equinox measurements of comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko with the mass spectrometer ROSINA/DFMS on board the Rosetta spacecraft revealed a strongly heterogeneous coma. The abundances of major and various minor volatile species were found to depend on the latitude and longitude of the nadir point of the spacecraft. The observed time variability of coma species remained consistent for about three months up to equinox. The chemical variability could be generally interpreted in terms of surface temperature and seasonal effects superposed on some kind of chemical heterogeneity of the nucleus. AIMS We compare here pre-equinox (inbound) ROSINA/DFMS measurements from 2014 to measurements taken after the outbound equinox in 2016, both at heliocentric distances larger than 3 AU. For a direct comparison we limit our observations to the southern hemisphere. METHODS We report the similarities and differences in the concentrations and time variability of neutral species under similar insolation conditions (heliocentric distance and season) pre- and post-equinox, and interpret them in light of the previously published observations. In addition, we extend both the pre- and post-equinox analysis by comparing species concentrations with a mixture of CO2 and H2O. RESULTS Our results show significant changes in the abundances of neutral species in the coma from pre- to post-equinox that are indicative of seasonally driven nucleus heterogeneity. CONCLUSIONS The observed pre- and post-equinox patterns can generally be explained by the strong erosion in the southern hemisphere that moves volatile-rich layers near the surface.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Luspay-Kuti
- Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, 11100 Johns Hopkins Rd., Laurel, MD 20723, USA
| | - K Altwegg
- Physikalisches Institut, University of Bern, Sidlerstr. 5, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
- Center for Space and Habitability (CSH), Universität Bern, Sidlerstr. 5, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - J J Berthelier
- Laboratoire Atmosphères, Milieux, Observations Spatiales, Institut Pierre Simon Laplace, CNRS, Université Pierre et Marie Curie, 4 avenue de Neptune, 94100 Saint-Maur, France
| | - A Beth
- Department of Physics/SPAT, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - F Dhooghe
- Belgian Institute for Space Aeronomy, BIRA-IASB, Ringlaan 3, 1180 Brussels, Belgium
- Center for Plasma Astrophysics, K.U. Leuven, Celestijnenlaan 200D, 3001 Heverlee, Belgium
| | - B Fiethe
- Institute of Computer and Network Engineering (IDA), TU Braunschweig, Hans-Sommer-Strasse 66, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany
| | - S A Fuselier
- Space Science Directorate, Southwest Research Institute, 6220 Culebra Rd., San Antonio, TX 78228, USA
| | - T I Gombosi
- Department of Climate and Space Sciences and Engineering, University of Michigan, 2455 Hayward, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - K C Hansen
- Department of Climate and Space Sciences and Engineering, University of Michigan, 2455 Hayward, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - M Hässig
- Space Science Directorate, Southwest Research Institute, 6220 Culebra Rd., San Antonio, TX 78228, USA
| | - G Livadiotis
- Space Science Directorate, Southwest Research Institute, 6220 Culebra Rd., San Antonio, TX 78228, USA
| | - U Mall
- Max-Planck-Institut für Sonnensystemforschung, Justus-von-Liebig-Weg 3, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - K E Mandt
- Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, 11100 Johns Hopkins Rd., Laurel, MD 20723, USA
| | - O Mousis
- Laboratoire d'Astrophysique de Marseille, CNRS, Aix Marseille Université, 13388 Marseille, France
| | - S M Petrinec
- Lockheed Martin Space Systems Advanced Technology Center, 3251 Hanover St., Palo Alto, CA 94304, USA
| | - M Rubin
- Physikalisches Institut, University of Bern, Sidlerstr. 5, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - K J Trattner
- Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics, University of Colorado at Boulder, 3665 Discovery Dr., Boulder, CO 80309, USA
| | - C-Y Tzou
- Physikalisches Institut, University of Bern, Sidlerstr. 5, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - P Wurz
- Physikalisches Institut, University of Bern, Sidlerstr. 5, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
- Center for Space and Habitability (CSH), Universität Bern, Sidlerstr. 5, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
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13
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Vines SK, Allen RC, Anderson BJ, Engebretson MJ, Fuselier SA, Russell CT, Strangeway RJ, Ergun RE, Lindqvist PA, Torbert RB, Burch JL. EMIC Waves in the Outer Magnetosphere: Observations of an Off-Equator Source Region. Geophys Res Lett 2019; 46:5707-5716. [PMID: 31423036 PMCID: PMC6686711 DOI: 10.1029/2019gl082152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2019] [Revised: 04/03/2019] [Accepted: 05/10/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Electromagnetic ion cyclotron (EMIC) waves at large L shells were observed away from the magnetic equator by the Magnetospheric MultiScale (MMS) mission nearly continuously for over four hours on 28 October 2015. During this event, the wave Poynting vector direction systematically changed from parallel to the magnetic field (toward the equator), to bidirectional, to antiparallel (away from the equator). These changes coincide with the shift in the location of the minimum in the magnetic field in the southern hemisphere from poleward to equatorward of MMS. The local plasma conditions measured with the EMIC waves also suggest that the outer magnetospheric region sampled during this event was generally unstable to EMIC wave growth. Together, these observations indicate that the bidirectionally propagating wave packets were not a result of reflection at high latitudes but that MMS passed through an off-equator EMIC wave source region associated with the local minimum in the magnetic field.
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Affiliation(s)
- S. K. Vines
- The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics LaboratoryLaurelMDUSA
| | - R. C. Allen
- The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics LaboratoryLaurelMDUSA
| | - B. J. Anderson
- The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics LaboratoryLaurelMDUSA
| | | | - S. A. Fuselier
- Southwest Research InstituteSan AntonioTXUSA
- Department of Physics and AstronomyUniversity of Texas at San AntonioSan AntonioTXUSA
| | - C. T. Russell
- Department of Earth, Planetary, and Space SciencesUniversity of CaliforniaLos AngelesCAUSA
- Institute for Geophysics and Planetary PhysicsUniversity of CaliforniaLos AngelesCAUSA
| | - R. J. Strangeway
- Department of Earth, Planetary, and Space SciencesUniversity of CaliforniaLos AngelesCAUSA
- Institute for Geophysics and Planetary PhysicsUniversity of CaliforniaLos AngelesCAUSA
| | - R. E. Ergun
- Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space PhysicsUniversity of Colorado at BoulderBoulderCOUSA
| | - P. A. Lindqvist
- Department of Space and Plasma PhysicsRoyal Institute of TechnologyStockholmSweden
| | - R. B. Torbert
- Southwest Research InstituteSan AntonioTXUSA
- Space Science CenterUniversity of New HampshireDurhamNHUSA
| | - J. L. Burch
- Southwest Research InstituteSan AntonioTXUSA
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14
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Torbert RB, Burch JL, Phan TD, Hesse M, Argall MR, Shuster J, Ergun RE, Alm L, Nakamura R, Genestreti KJ, Gershman DJ, Paterson WR, Turner DL, Cohen I, Giles BL, Pollock CJ, Wang S, Chen LJ, Stawarz JE, Eastwood JP, Hwang KJ, Farrugia C, Dors I, Vaith H, Mouikis C, Ardakani A, Mauk BH, Fuselier SA, Russell CT, Strangeway RJ, Moore TE, Drake JF, Shay MA, Khotyaintsev YV, Lindqvist PA, Baumjohann W, Wilder FD, Ahmadi N, Dorelli JC, Avanov LA, Oka M, Baker DN, Fennell JF, Blake JB, Jaynes AN, Le Contel O, Petrinec SM, Lavraud B, Saito Y. Electron-scale dynamics of the diffusion region during symmetric magnetic reconnection in space. Science 2018; 362:1391-1395. [PMID: 30442767 DOI: 10.1126/science.aat2998] [Citation(s) in RCA: 158] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2018] [Accepted: 11/06/2018] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
Magnetic reconnection is an energy conversion process that occurs in many astrophysical contexts including Earth's magnetosphere, where the process can be investigated in situ by spacecraft. On 11 July 2017, the four Magnetospheric Multiscale spacecraft encountered a reconnection site in Earth's magnetotail, where reconnection involves symmetric inflow conditions. The electron-scale plasma measurements revealed (i) super-Alfvénic electron jets reaching 15,000 kilometers per second; (ii) electron meandering motion and acceleration by the electric field, producing multiple crescent-shaped structures in the velocity distributions; and (iii) the spatial dimensions of the electron diffusion region with an aspect ratio of 0.1 to 0.2, consistent with fast reconnection. The well-structured multiple layers of electron populations indicate that the dominant electron dynamics are mostly laminar, despite the presence of turbulence near the reconnection site.
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Affiliation(s)
- R B Torbert
- University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH, USA. .,Southwest Research Institute (SwRI), San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - J L Burch
- Southwest Research Institute (SwRI), San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - T D Phan
- University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - M Hesse
- Southwest Research Institute (SwRI), San Antonio, TX, USA.,University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - M R Argall
- University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH, USA
| | - J Shuster
- NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD, USA
| | - R E Ergun
- University of Colorado Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - L Alm
- Swedish Institute of Space Physics, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - R Nakamura
- Space Research Institute, Austrian Academy of Sciences, Graz, Austria
| | - K J Genestreti
- Space Research Institute, Austrian Academy of Sciences, Graz, Austria
| | - D J Gershman
- NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD, USA
| | - W R Paterson
- NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD, USA
| | - D L Turner
- Aerospace Corporation, El Segundo, CA, USA
| | - I Cohen
- Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, MD, USA
| | - B L Giles
- NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD, USA
| | - C J Pollock
- NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD, USA
| | - S Wang
- University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
| | - L-J Chen
- NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD, USA.,University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
| | - J E Stawarz
- Blackett Laboratory, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - J P Eastwood
- Blackett Laboratory, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - K J Hwang
- Southwest Research Institute (SwRI), San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - C Farrugia
- University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH, USA
| | - I Dors
- University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH, USA
| | - H Vaith
- University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH, USA
| | - C Mouikis
- University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH, USA
| | - A Ardakani
- University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH, USA
| | - B H Mauk
- Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, MD, USA
| | - S A Fuselier
- Southwest Research Institute (SwRI), San Antonio, TX, USA.,University of Texas, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - C T Russell
- University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | | | - T E Moore
- NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD, USA
| | - J F Drake
- University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
| | - M A Shay
- University of Delaware, Newark, DE, USA
| | | | | | - W Baumjohann
- Space Research Institute, Austrian Academy of Sciences, Graz, Austria
| | - F D Wilder
- University of Colorado Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - N Ahmadi
- University of Colorado Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - J C Dorelli
- NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD, USA
| | - L A Avanov
- NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD, USA
| | - M Oka
- University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - D N Baker
- University of Colorado Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics, Boulder, CO, USA
| | | | - J B Blake
- Aerospace Corporation, El Segundo, CA, USA
| | | | - O Le Contel
- Laboratoire de Physique des Plasmas, CNRS/Ecole Polytechnique/Sorbonne Université/Univ. Paris Sud/Observatoire de Paris, Paris, France
| | - S M Petrinec
- Lockheed Martin Advanced Technology Center, Palo Alto, CA, USA
| | - B Lavraud
- Institut de Recherche en Astrophysique et Planétologie, CNRS, Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales, Université de Toulouse, Toulouse, France
| | - Y Saito
- Institute for Space and Astronautical Sciences, Sagamihara, Japan
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15
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Genestreti KJ, Nakamura TKM, Nakamura R, Denton RE, Torbert RB, Burch JL, Plaschke F, Fuselier SA, Ergun RE, Giles BL, Russell CT. How Accurately Can We Measure the Reconnection Rate E M for the MMS Diffusion Region Event of 11 July 2017? J Geophys Res Space Phys 2018; 123:9130-9149. [PMID: 30775197 PMCID: PMC6360497 DOI: 10.1029/2018ja025711] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2018] [Revised: 08/10/2018] [Accepted: 09/11/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
We investigate the accuracy with which the reconnection electric field E M can be determined from in situ plasma data. We study the magnetotail electron diffusion region observed by National Aeronautics and Space Administration's Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) on 11 July 2017 at 22:34 UT and focus on the very large errors in E M that result from errors in an L M N boundary normal coordinate system. We determine several L M N coordinates for this MMS event using several different methods. We use these M axes to estimate E M. We find some consensus that the reconnection rate was roughly E M = 3.2 ± 0.6 mV/m, which corresponds to a normalized reconnection rate of 0.18 ± 0.035. Minimum variance analysis of the electron velocity (MVA-v e), MVA of E, minimization of Faraday residue, and an adjusted version of the maximum directional derivative of the magnetic field (MDD-B) technique all produce reasonably similar coordinate axes. We use virtual MMS data from a particle-in-cell simulation of this event to estimate the errors in the coordinate axes and reconnection rate associated with MVA-v e and MDD-B. The L and M directions are most reliably determined by MVA-v e when the spacecraft observes a clear electron jet reversal. When the magnetic field data have errors as small as 0.5% of the background field strength, the M direction obtained by MDD-B technique may be off by as much as 35°. The normal direction is most accurately obtained by MDD-B. Overall, we find that these techniques were able to identify E M from the virtual data within error bars ≥20%.
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Affiliation(s)
- K. J. Genestreti
- Space Research InstituteAustrian Academy of SciencesGrazAustria
- Now at Space Science CenterUniversity of New HampshireDurhamNHUSA
| | | | - R. Nakamura
- Space Research InstituteAustrian Academy of SciencesGrazAustria
| | - R. E. Denton
- Department of Physics and AstronomyDartmouth CollegeHanoverNHUSA
| | - R. B. Torbert
- Space Science CenterUniversity of New HampshireDurhamNHUSA
- Space Science and Engineering DivisionSouthwest Research InstituteSan AntonioTXUSA
| | - J. L. Burch
- Space Science and Engineering DivisionSouthwest Research InstituteSan AntonioTXUSA
| | - F. Plaschke
- Space Research InstituteAustrian Academy of SciencesGrazAustria
| | - S. A. Fuselier
- Space Science and Engineering DivisionSouthwest Research InstituteSan AntonioTXUSA
- Department of Physics and AstronomyUniversity of Texas at San AntonioSan AntonioTXUSA
| | - R. E. Ergun
- Laboratory of Atmospheric and Space SciencesUniversity of Colorado BoulderBoulderCOUSA
| | - B. L. Giles
- Heliophysics Science DivisionNASA Goddard Space Flight CenterGreenbeltMDUSA
| | - C. T. Russell
- Institute of Geophysics and Planetary PhysicsUniversity of CaliforniaLos AngelesCAUSA
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16
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Turner DL, Wilson LB, Liu TZ, Cohen IJ, Schwartz SJ, Osmane A, Fennell JF, Clemmons JH, Blake JB, Westlake J, Mauk BH, Jaynes AN, Leonard T, Baker DN, Strangeway RJ, Russell CT, Gershman DJ, Avanov L, Giles BL, Torbert RB, Broll J, Gomez RG, Fuselier SA, Burch JL. Autogenous and efficient acceleration of energetic ions upstream of Earth's bow shock. Nature 2018; 561:206-210. [PMID: 30209369 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-018-0472-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2018] [Accepted: 07/06/2018] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Earth and its magnetosphere are immersed in the supersonic flow of the solar-wind plasma that fills interplanetary space. As the solar wind slows and deflects to flow around Earth, or any other obstacle, a 'bow shock' forms within the flow. Under almost all solar-wind conditions, planetary bow shocks such as Earth's are collisionless, supercritical shocks, meaning that they reflect and accelerate a fraction of the incident solar-wind ions as an energy dissipation mechanism1,2, which results in the formation of a region called the ion foreshock3. In the foreshock, large-scale, transient phenomena can develop, such as 'hot flow anomalies'4-9, which are concentrations of shock-reflected, suprathermal ions that are channelled and accumulated along certain structures in the upstream magnetic field. Hot flow anomalies evolve explosively, often resulting in the formation of new shocks along their upstream edges5,10, and potentially contribute to particle acceleration11-13, but there have hitherto been no observations to constrain this acceleration or to confirm the underlying mechanism. Here we report observations of a hot flow anomaly accelerating solar-wind ions from roughly 1-10 kiloelectronvolts up to almost 1,000 kiloelectronvolts. The acceleration mechanism depends on the mass and charge state of the ions and is consistent with first-order Fermi acceleration14,15. The acceleration that we observe results from only the interaction of Earth's bow shock with the solar wind, but produces a much, much larger number of energetic particles compared to what would typically be produced in the foreshock from acceleration at the bow shock. Such autogenous and efficient acceleration at quasi-parallel bow shocks (the normal direction of which are within about 45 degrees of the interplanetary magnetic field direction) provides a potential solution to Fermi's 'injection problem', which requires an as-yet-unexplained seed population of energetic particles, and implies that foreshock transients may be important in the generation of cosmic rays at astrophysical shocks throughout the cosmos.
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Affiliation(s)
- D L Turner
- Space Sciences Department, The Aerospace Corporation, El Segundo, CA, USA.
| | - L B Wilson
- NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD, USA
| | - T Z Liu
- Department of Earth, Planetary, and Space Science, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - I J Cohen
- Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, MD, USA
| | | | - A Osmane
- School of Electrical Engineering, Aalto University, Espoo, Finland.,Rudolf Peierls Centre of Theoretical Physics, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - J F Fennell
- Space Sciences Department, The Aerospace Corporation, El Segundo, CA, USA
| | - J H Clemmons
- Space Sciences Department, The Aerospace Corporation, El Segundo, CA, USA
| | - J B Blake
- Space Sciences Department, The Aerospace Corporation, El Segundo, CA, USA
| | - J Westlake
- Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, MD, USA
| | - B H Mauk
- Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, MD, USA
| | - A N Jaynes
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - T Leonard
- Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - D N Baker
- Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - R J Strangeway
- Department of Earth, Planetary, and Space Science, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - C T Russell
- Department of Earth, Planetary, and Space Science, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - D J Gershman
- NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD, USA
| | - L Avanov
- NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD, USA
| | - B L Giles
- NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD, USA
| | - R B Torbert
- Institute For the Study of Earth, Oceans, and Space, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH, USA.,Southwest Research Institute, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - J Broll
- Southwest Research Institute, San Antonio, TX, USA.,Departoment of Physics and Astronomy, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - R G Gomez
- Space Sciences Department, The Aerospace Corporation, El Segundo, CA, USA
| | - S A Fuselier
- Southwest Research Institute, San Antonio, TX, USA.,Departoment of Physics and Astronomy, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - J L Burch
- Southwest Research Institute, San Antonio, TX, USA
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17
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Kitamura N, Kitahara M, Shoji M, Miyoshi Y, Hasegawa H, Nakamura S, Katoh Y, Saito Y, Yokota S, Gershman DJ, Vinas AF, Giles BL, Moore TE, Paterson WR, Pollock CJ, Russell CT, Strangeway RJ, Fuselier SA, Burch JL. Direct measurements of two-way wave-particle energy transfer in a collisionless space plasma. Science 2018; 361:1000-1003. [PMID: 30190400 DOI: 10.1126/science.aap8730] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2017] [Accepted: 07/04/2018] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
Particle acceleration by plasma waves and spontaneous wave generation are fundamental energy and momentum exchange processes in collisionless plasmas. Such wave-particle interactions occur ubiquitously in space. We present ultrafast measurements in Earth's magnetosphere by the Magnetospheric Multiscale spacecraft that enabled quantitative evaluation of energy transfer in interactions associated with electromagnetic ion cyclotron waves. The observed ion distributions are not symmetric around the magnetic field direction but are in phase with the plasma wave fields. The wave-ion phase relations demonstrate that a cyclotron resonance transferred energy from hot protons to waves, which in turn nonresonantly accelerated cold He+ to energies up to ~2 kilo-electron volts. These observations provide direct quantitative evidence for collisionless energy transfer in plasmas between distinct particle populations via wave-particle interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- N Kitamura
- Institute of Space and Astronautical Science, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, Sagamihara, Japan. .,Department of Earth and Planetary Science, Graduate School of Science, the University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - M Kitahara
- Department of Geophysics, Graduate School of Science, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
| | - M Shoji
- Institute for Space-Earth Environmental Research (ISEE), Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Y Miyoshi
- Institute for Space-Earth Environmental Research (ISEE), Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan
| | - H Hasegawa
- Institute of Space and Astronautical Science, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, Sagamihara, Japan
| | - S Nakamura
- Research Institute for Sustainable Humanosphere (RISH), Kyoto University, Uji, Japan
| | - Y Katoh
- Department of Geophysics, Graduate School of Science, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
| | - Y Saito
- Institute of Space and Astronautical Science, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, Sagamihara, Japan
| | - S Yokota
- Department of Earth and Space Science, Graduate School of Science, Osaka University, Toyonaka, Japan
| | - D J Gershman
- NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD, USA
| | - A F Vinas
- NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD, USA.,Department of Physics, American University, Washington, DC, USA
| | - B L Giles
- NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD, USA
| | - T E Moore
- NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD, USA
| | - W R Paterson
- NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD, USA
| | | | - C T Russell
- Institute of Geophysics and Planetary Physics, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - R J Strangeway
- Institute of Geophysics and Planetary Physics, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - S A Fuselier
- Southwest Research Institute, San Antonio, TX, USA.,University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - J L Burch
- Southwest Research Institute, San Antonio, TX, USA
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18
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Heritier KL, Altwegg K, Berthelier JJ, Beth A, Carr CM, De Keyser J, Eriksson AI, Fuselier SA, Galand M, Gombosi TI, Henri P, Johansson FL, Nilsson H, Rubin M, Simon Wedlund C, Taylor MGGT, Vigren E. On the origin of molecular oxygen in cometary comae. Nat Commun 2018; 9:2580. [PMID: 29968720 PMCID: PMC6030164 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-04972-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2017] [Accepted: 06/05/2018] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- K L Heritier
- Department of Physics, Imperial College London, Prince Consort Road, London, SW7 2AZ, UK.
| | - K Altwegg
- Physikalisches Institut, University of Bern, Sidlerstrasse 5, 3012, Bern, Switzerland
| | | | - A Beth
- Department of Physics, Imperial College London, Prince Consort Road, London, SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - C M Carr
- Department of Physics, Imperial College London, Prince Consort Road, London, SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - J De Keyser
- BIRA-IASB, Royal Belgian Institute for Space Aeronomy, Ringlaan 3, Brussels, Belgium
| | - A I Eriksson
- Swedish Institute of Space Physics, Ångström Laboratory, Lägerhyddsvägen 1, 752 37, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - S A Fuselier
- Southwest Research Institute, P.O. Drawer 28510, San Antonio, TX, 78228-0510, USA.,University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, 78249, USA
| | - M Galand
- Department of Physics, Imperial College London, Prince Consort Road, London, SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - T I Gombosi
- Department of Atmospheric, Oceanic and Space Sciences, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| | - P Henri
- LPC2E, CNRS, 3 Avenue de la recherche scientifique, 45071, Orléans, France
| | - F L Johansson
- Swedish Institute of Space Physics, Ångström Laboratory, Lägerhyddsvägen 1, 752 37, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - H Nilsson
- Swedish Institute of Space Physics, P.O. Box 812, 981 28, Kiruna, Sweden
| | - M Rubin
- Physikalisches Institut, University of Bern, Sidlerstrasse 5, 3012, Bern, Switzerland
| | - C Simon Wedlund
- Department of Physics, University of Oslo, Sem Sælands vei 24, postbox 1048, 0317, Oslo, Norway
| | - M G G T Taylor
- European Space Agency, ESTEC, Keplerlaan 1, Noordwijk, 2200 AG, The Netherlands
| | - E Vigren
- LATMOS/IPSL-CNRS-UPMC-UVSQ, 94100, Saint-Maur, France
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19
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Burch JL, Webster JM, Genestreti KJ, Torbert RB, Giles BL, Fuselier SA, Dorelli JC, Rager AC, Phan TD, Allen RC, Chen L, Wang S, Le Contel O, Russell CT, Strangeway RJ, Ergun RE, Jaynes AN, Lindqvist P, Graham DB, Wilder FD, Hwang K, Goldstein J. Wave Phenomena and Beam-Plasma Interactions at the Magnetopause Reconnection Region. J Geophys Res Space Phys 2018; 123:1118-1133. [PMID: 29938153 PMCID: PMC5993346 DOI: 10.1002/2017ja024789] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2017] [Revised: 12/28/2017] [Accepted: 01/10/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
This paper reports on Magnetospheric Multiscale observations of whistler mode chorus and higher-frequency electrostatic waves near and within a reconnection diffusion region on 23 November 2016. The diffusion region is bounded by crescent-shaped electron distributions and associated dissipation just upstream of the X-line and by magnetic field-aligned currents and electric fields leading to dissipation near the electron stagnation point. Measurements were made southward of the X-line as determined by southward directed ion and electron jets. We show that electrostatic wave generation is due to magnetosheath electron beams formed by the electron jets as they interact with a cold background plasma and more energetic population of magnetospheric electrons. On the magnetosphere side of the X-line the electron beams are accompanied by a strong perpendicular electron temperature anisotropy, which is shown to be the source of an observed rising-tone whistler mode chorus event. We show that the apex of the chorus event and the onset of electrostatic waves coincide with the opening of magnetic field lines at the electron stagnation point.
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Affiliation(s)
- J. L. Burch
- Southwest Research InstituteSan AntonioTXUSA
| | - J. M. Webster
- Department of Physics and AstronomyRice UniversityHoustonTXUSA
| | | | - R. B. Torbert
- Southwest Research InstituteSan AntonioTXUSA
- Department of PhysicsUniversity of New HampshireDurhamNHUSA
| | - B. L. Giles
- NASA, Goddard Space Flight CenterGreenbeltMDUSA
| | | | | | - A. C. Rager
- NASA, Goddard Space Flight CenterGreenbeltMDUSA
- Department of PhysicsCatholic University of AmericaWashingtonDCUSA
| | - T. D. Phan
- Space Sciences LaboratoryUniversity of CaliforniaBerkeleyCAUSA
| | - R. C. Allen
- Applied Physics LaboratoryThe Johns Hopkins UniversityLaurelMDUSA
| | - L.‐J. Chen
- Department of AstronomyUniversity of MarylandCollege ParkMDUSA
| | - S. Wang
- Department of AstronomyUniversity of MarylandCollege ParkMDUSA
| | - O. Le Contel
- Laboratoire de Physique des PlasmasCNRS, Ecole Polytechnique, UPMC University Paris 06, Université Paris‐Sud, Observatoire de ParisParisFrance
| | - C. T. Russell
- Earth and Planetary SciencesUniversity of CaliforniaLos AngelesCAUSA
| | - R. J. Strangeway
- Earth and Planetary SciencesUniversity of CaliforniaLos AngelesCAUSA
| | - R. E. Ergun
- LASPUniversity of Colorado BoulderBoulderCOUSA
| | - A. N. Jaynes
- Department of Physics and AstronomyUniversity of IowaIowa CityIAUSA
| | | | | | | | - K.‐J. Hwang
- Southwest Research InstituteSan AntonioTXUSA
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20
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Servidio S, Chasapis A, Matthaeus WH, Perrone D, Valentini F, Parashar TN, Veltri P, Gershman D, Russell CT, Giles B, Fuselier SA, Phan TD, Burch J. Magnetospheric Multiscale Observation of Plasma Velocity-Space Cascade: Hermite Representation and Theory. Phys Rev Lett 2017; 119:205101. [PMID: 29219385 DOI: 10.1103/physrevlett.119.205101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Plasma turbulence is investigated using unprecedented high-resolution ion velocity distribution measurements by the Magnetospheric Multiscale mission (MMS) in the Earth's magnetosheath. This novel observation of a highly structured particle distribution suggests a cascadelike process in velocity space. Complex velocity space structure is investigated using a three-dimensional Hermite transform, revealing, for the first time in observational data, a power-law distribution of moments. In analogy to hydrodynamics, a Kolmogorov approach leads directly to a range of predictions for this phase-space transport. The scaling theory is found to be in agreement with observations. The combined use of state-of-the-art MMS data sets, novel implementation of a Hermite transform method, and scaling theory of the velocity cascade opens new pathways to the understanding of plasma turbulence and the crucial velocity space features that lead to dissipation in plasmas.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Servidio
- Dipartimento di Fisica, Università della Calabria, I-87036 Cosenza, Italy
| | - A Chasapis
- Bartol Research Institute and Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware 19716, USA
| | - W H Matthaeus
- Bartol Research Institute and Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware 19716, USA
| | - D Perrone
- European Space Agency, ESAC, 28692 Madrid, Spain
| | - F Valentini
- Dipartimento di Fisica, Università della Calabria, I-87036 Cosenza, Italy
| | - T N Parashar
- Bartol Research Institute and Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware 19716, USA
| | - P Veltri
- Dipartimento di Fisica, Università della Calabria, I-87036 Cosenza, Italy
| | - D Gershman
- NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland 20771, USA
| | - C T Russell
- University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095, USA
| | - B Giles
- NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland 20771, USA
| | - S A Fuselier
- Southwest Research Institute, San Antonio, Texas 78238, USA
- University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas 78249, USA
| | - T D Phan
- University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, USA
| | - J Burch
- Southwest Research Institute, San Antonio, Texas 78238, USA
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21
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Altwegg K, Balsiger H, Berthelier JJ, Bieler A, Calmonte U, De Keyser J, Fiethe B, Fuselier SA, Gasc S, Gombosi TI, Owen T, Le Roy L, Rubin M, Sémon T, Tzou CY. D 2O and HDS in the coma of 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko. Philos Trans A Math Phys Eng Sci 2017; 375:rsta.2016.0253. [PMID: 28554973 PMCID: PMC5454224 DOI: 10.1098/rsta.2016.0253] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/12/2017] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
The European Rosetta mission has been following comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko for 2 years, studying the nucleus and coma in great detail. For most of these 2 years the Rosetta Orbiter Sensor for Ion and Neutral Analysis (ROSINA) has analysed the volatile part of the coma. With its high mass resolution and sensitivity it was able to not only detect deuterated water HDO, but also doubly deuterated water, D2O and deuterated hydrogen sulfide HDS. The ratios for [HDO]/[H2O], [D2O]/[HDO] and [HDS]/[H2S] derived from our measurements are (1.05 ± 0.14) × 10-3, (1.80 ± 0.9) × 10-2 and (1.2 ± 0.3) × 10-3, respectively. These results yield a very high ratio of 17 for [D2O]/[HDO] relative to [HDO]/[H2O]. Statistically one would expect just 1/4. Such a high value can be explained by cometary water coming unprocessed from the presolar cloud, where water is formed on grains, leading to high deuterium fractionation. The high [HDS]/[H2S] ratio is compatible with upper limits determined in low-mass star-forming regions and also points to a direct correlation of cometary H2S with presolar grain surface chemistry.This article is part of the themed issue 'Cometary science after Rosetta'.
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Affiliation(s)
- K Altwegg
- Physikalisches Institut, University of Bern, Sidlerstrasse 5, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
- Center for Space and Habitability, University of Bern, Sidlerstrasse 5, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - H Balsiger
- Physikalisches Institut, University of Bern, Sidlerstrasse 5, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | | | - A Bieler
- Physikalisches Institut, University of Bern, Sidlerstrasse 5, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
- Department of Atmospheric, Oceanic and Space Sciences, University of Michigan, 2455 Hayward, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - U Calmonte
- Physikalisches Institut, University of Bern, Sidlerstrasse 5, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - J De Keyser
- Royal Belgian Institute for Space Aeronomy (BIRA-IASB), Ringlaan 3, 1180 Brussels, Belgium
| | - B Fiethe
- Institute of Computer and Network Engineering (IDA), TU Braunschweig, Hans-Sommer-Strasse 66, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany
| | - S A Fuselier
- Space Science Division, Southwest Research Institute, 6220 Culebra Road, San Antonio, TX 78228, USA
| | - S Gasc
- Physikalisches Institut, University of Bern, Sidlerstrasse 5, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - T I Gombosi
- LATMOS 4 Avenue de Neptune, 94100 Saint-Maur, France
| | - T Owen
- Institute for Astronomy, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA
| | - L Le Roy
- Physikalisches Institut, University of Bern, Sidlerstrasse 5, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - M Rubin
- Physikalisches Institut, University of Bern, Sidlerstrasse 5, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - T Sémon
- Physikalisches Institut, University of Bern, Sidlerstrasse 5, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - C-Y Tzou
- Physikalisches Institut, University of Bern, Sidlerstrasse 5, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
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22
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Marty B, Altwegg K, Balsiger H, Bar-Nun A, Bekaert DV, Berthelier JJ, Bieler A, Briois C, Calmonte U, Combi M, De Keyser J, Fiethe B, Fuselier SA, Gasc S, Gombosi TI, Hansen KC, Hässig M, Jäckel A, Kopp E, Korth A, Le Roy L, Mall U, Mousis O, Owen T, Rème H, Rubin M, Sémon T, Tzou CY, Waite JH, Wurz P. Xenon isotopes in 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko show that comets contributed to Earth's atmosphere. Science 2017; 356:1069-1072. [DOI: 10.1126/science.aal3496] [Citation(s) in RCA: 131] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2016] [Accepted: 05/03/2017] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- B. Marty
- Centre de Recherches Pétrographiques et Géochimiques, CNRS, Université de Lorraine, 15 rue Notre Dame des Pauvres, BP 20, 54501 Vandoeuvre lès Nancy, France
| | - K. Altwegg
- Physikalisches Institut, University of Bern, Sidlerstrasse 5, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland
- Center for Space and Habitability, University of Bern, Sidlerstrasse 5, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - H. Balsiger
- Physikalisches Institut, University of Bern, Sidlerstrasse 5, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - A. Bar-Nun
- Department of Geoscience, Tel Aviv University, Ramat Aviv, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - D. V. Bekaert
- Centre de Recherches Pétrographiques et Géochimiques, CNRS, Université de Lorraine, 15 rue Notre Dame des Pauvres, BP 20, 54501 Vandoeuvre lès Nancy, France
| | - J.-J. Berthelier
- Laboratoire Atmosphères, Milieux, Observations Spatiales (LATMOS), Institut Pierre Simon Laplace, CNRS, Université Pierre et Marie Curie, 4 Avenue de Neptune, 94100 Saint-Maur, France
| | - A. Bieler
- Physikalisches Institut, University of Bern, Sidlerstrasse 5, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland
- Department of Climate and Space Sciences and Engineering, University of Michigan, 2455 Hayward Street, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - C. Briois
- Laboratoire de Physique et Chimie de l’Environnement et de l’Espace (LPC2E), UMR 6115 CNRS–Université d’Orléans, France
| | - U. Calmonte
- Physikalisches Institut, University of Bern, Sidlerstrasse 5, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - M. Combi
- Department of Climate and Space Sciences and Engineering, University of Michigan, 2455 Hayward Street, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - J. De Keyser
- Koninklijk Belgisch Instituut voor Ruimte-Aeronomie/Institut Royal d’Aéronomie Spatiale de Belgique (BIRA-IASB), Ringlaan 3, B-1180 Brussels, Belgium
| | - B. Fiethe
- Institute of Computer and Network Engineering (IDA), Technische Universität Braunschweig, Hans-Sommer-Straße 66, D-38106 Braunschweig, Germany
| | - S. A. Fuselier
- Department of Space Science, Southwest Research Institute, 6220 Culebra Road, San Antonio, TX 78228, USA
| | - S. Gasc
- Physikalisches Institut, University of Bern, Sidlerstrasse 5, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - T. I. Gombosi
- Department of Climate and Space Sciences and Engineering, University of Michigan, 2455 Hayward Street, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - K. C. Hansen
- Department of Climate and Space Sciences and Engineering, University of Michigan, 2455 Hayward Street, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - M. Hässig
- Physikalisches Institut, University of Bern, Sidlerstrasse 5, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland
- Department of Space Science, Southwest Research Institute, 6220 Culebra Road, San Antonio, TX 78228, USA
| | - A. Jäckel
- Physikalisches Institut, University of Bern, Sidlerstrasse 5, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - E. Kopp
- Physikalisches Institut, University of Bern, Sidlerstrasse 5, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - A. Korth
- Max-Planck-Institut für Sonnensystemforschung (MPS), Justus-von-Liebig-Weg 3, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - L. Le Roy
- Physikalisches Institut, University of Bern, Sidlerstrasse 5, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - U. Mall
- Max-Planck-Institut für Sonnensystemforschung (MPS), Justus-von-Liebig-Weg 3, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - O. Mousis
- Laboratoire d’Astrophysique de Marseille, CNRS, Aix Marseille Université, 13388 Marseille, France
| | - T. Owen
- Institute for Astronomy, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA
| | - H. Rème
- Institut de Recherche en Astrophysique et Planétologie, CNRS, Université Paul Sabatier, Observatoire Midi-Pyrénées, 9 Avenue du Colonel Roche, 31028 Toulouse Cedex 4, France
| | - M. Rubin
- Physikalisches Institut, University of Bern, Sidlerstrasse 5, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - T. Sémon
- Physikalisches Institut, University of Bern, Sidlerstrasse 5, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - C.-Y. Tzou
- Physikalisches Institut, University of Bern, Sidlerstrasse 5, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - J. H. Waite
- Department of Space Science, Southwest Research Institute, 6220 Culebra Road, San Antonio, TX 78228, USA
| | - P. Wurz
- Physikalisches Institut, University of Bern, Sidlerstrasse 5, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland
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23
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Nakamura R, Sergeev VA, Baumjohann W, Plaschke F, Magnes W, Fischer D, Varsani A, Schmid D, Nakamura TKM, Russell CT, Strangeway RJ, Leinweber HK, Le G, Bromund KR, Pollock CJ, Giles BL, Dorelli JC, Gershman DJ, Paterson W, Avanov LA, Fuselier SA, Genestreti K, Burch JL, Torbert RB, Chutter M, Argall MR, Anderson BJ, Lindqvist P, Marklund GT, Khotyaintsev YV, Mauk BH, Cohen IJ, Baker DN, Jaynes AN, Ergun RE, Singer HJ, Slavin JA, Kepko EL, Moore TE, Lavraud B, Coffey V, Saito Y. Transient, small-scale field-aligned currents in the plasma sheet boundary layer during storm time substorms. Geophys Res Lett 2016; 43:4841-4849. [PMID: 27867235 PMCID: PMC5111425 DOI: 10.1002/2016gl068768] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2016] [Revised: 04/26/2016] [Accepted: 05/03/2016] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
We report on field-aligned current observations by the four Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) spacecraft near the plasma sheet boundary layer (PSBL) during two major substorms on 23 June 2015. Small-scale field-aligned currents were found embedded in fluctuating PSBL flux tubes near the separatrix region. We resolve, for the first time, short-lived earthward (downward) intense field-aligned current sheets with thicknesses of a few tens of kilometers, which are well below the ion scale, on flux tubes moving equatorward/earthward during outward plasma sheet expansion. They coincide with upward field-aligned electron beams with energies of a few hundred eV. These electrons are most likely due to acceleration associated with a reconnection jet or high-energy ion beam-produced disturbances. The observations highlight coupling of multiscale processes in PSBL as a consequence of magnetotail reconnection.
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24
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Burch JL, Torbert RB, Phan TD, Chen LJ, Moore TE, Ergun RE, Eastwood JP, Gershman DJ, Cassak PA, Argall MR, Wang S, Hesse M, Pollock CJ, Giles BL, Nakamura R, Mauk BH, Fuselier SA, Russell CT, Strangeway RJ, Drake JF, Shay MA, Khotyaintsev YV, Lindqvist PA, Marklund G, Wilder FD, Young DT, Torkar K, Goldstein J, Dorelli JC, Avanov LA, Oka M, Baker DN, Jaynes AN, Goodrich KA, Cohen IJ, Turner DL, Fennell JF, Blake JB, Clemmons J, Goldman M, Newman D, Petrinec SM, Trattner KJ, Lavraud B, Reiff PH, Baumjohann W, Magnes W, Steller M, Lewis W, Saito Y, Coffey V, Chandler M. Electron-scale measurements of magnetic reconnection in space. Science 2016; 352:aaf2939. [PMID: 27174677 DOI: 10.1126/science.aaf2939] [Citation(s) in RCA: 438] [Impact Index Per Article: 54.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2016] [Accepted: 05/03/2016] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
Magnetic reconnection is a fundamental physical process in plasmas whereby stored magnetic energy is converted into heat and kinetic energy of charged particles. Reconnection occurs in many astrophysical plasma environments and in laboratory plasmas. Using measurements with very high time resolution, NASA's Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) mission has found direct evidence for electron demagnetization and acceleration at sites along the sunward boundary of Earth's magnetosphere where the interplanetary magnetic field reconnects with the terrestrial magnetic field. We have (i) observed the conversion of magnetic energy to particle energy; (ii) measured the electric field and current, which together cause the dissipation of magnetic energy; and (iii) identified the electron population that carries the current as a result of demagnetization and acceleration within the reconnection diffusion/dissipation region.
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Affiliation(s)
- J L Burch
- Southwest Research Institute, San Antonio, TX, USA.
| | - R B Torbert
- Southwest Research Institute, San Antonio, TX, USA. University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH, USA
| | - T D Phan
- University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - L-J Chen
- University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
| | - T E Moore
- NASA, Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD, USA
| | - R E Ergun
- University of Colorado LASP, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - J P Eastwood
- Blackett Laboratory, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - D J Gershman
- NASA, Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD, USA
| | - P A Cassak
- West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, USA
| | - M R Argall
- University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH, USA
| | - S Wang
- University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
| | - M Hesse
- NASA, Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD, USA
| | - C J Pollock
- NASA, Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD, USA
| | - B L Giles
- NASA, Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD, USA
| | - R Nakamura
- Space Research Institute, Austrian Academy of Sciences, Graz, Austria
| | - B H Mauk
- Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, MD, USA
| | - S A Fuselier
- Southwest Research Institute, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - C T Russell
- University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | | | - J F Drake
- University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
| | - M A Shay
- University of Delaware, Newark, DE, USA
| | | | | | - G Marklund
- Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - F D Wilder
- University of Colorado LASP, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - D T Young
- Southwest Research Institute, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - K Torkar
- Space Research Institute, Austrian Academy of Sciences, Graz, Austria
| | - J Goldstein
- Southwest Research Institute, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - J C Dorelli
- NASA, Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD, USA
| | - L A Avanov
- NASA, Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD, USA
| | - M Oka
- University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - D N Baker
- University of Colorado LASP, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - A N Jaynes
- University of Colorado LASP, Boulder, CO, USA
| | | | - I J Cohen
- Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, MD, USA
| | - D L Turner
- Aerospace Corporation, El Segundo, CA, USA
| | | | - J B Blake
- Aerospace Corporation, El Segundo, CA, USA
| | - J Clemmons
- Aerospace Corporation, El Segundo, CA, USA
| | - M Goldman
- University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - D Newman
- University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - S M Petrinec
- Lockheed Martin Advanced Technology Center, Palo Alto, CA, USA
| | | | - B Lavraud
- Institut de Recherche en Astrophysique et Planétologie, Toulouse, France
| | - P H Reiff
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA
| | - W Baumjohann
- Space Research Institute, Austrian Academy of Sciences, Graz, Austria
| | - W Magnes
- Space Research Institute, Austrian Academy of Sciences, Graz, Austria
| | - M Steller
- Space Research Institute, Austrian Academy of Sciences, Graz, Austria
| | - W Lewis
- Southwest Research Institute, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Y Saito
- Institute for Space and Astronautical Sciences, Sagamihara, Japan
| | - V Coffey
- NASA, Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, AL, USA
| | - M Chandler
- NASA, Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, AL, USA
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25
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Cessateur G, Keyser JD, Maggiolo R, Gibbons A, Gronoff G, Gunell H, Dhooghe F, Loreau J, Vaeck N, Altwegg K, Bieler A, Briois C, Calmonte U, Combi MR, Fiethe B, Fuselier SA, Gombosi TI, Hässig M, Le Roy L, Neefs E, Rubin M, Sémon T. Photochemistry of forbidden oxygen lines in the inner coma of 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko. J Geophys Res Space Phys 2016; 121:804-816. [PMID: 27134807 PMCID: PMC4845638 DOI: 10.1002/2015ja022013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2015] [Revised: 12/01/2015] [Accepted: 12/24/2015] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Observations of the green and red-doublet emission lines have previously been realized for several comets. We present here a chemistry-emission coupled model to study the production and loss mechanisms of the O(1S) and O(1D) states, which are responsible for the emission lines of interest for comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko. The recent discovery of O2 in significant abundance relative to water 3.80 ± 0.85% within the coma of 67P has been taken into consideration for the first time in such models. We evaluate the effect of the presence of O2 on the green to red-doublet emission intensity ratio, which is traditionally used to assess the CO2 abundance within cometary atmospheres. Model simulations, solving the continuity equation with transport, show that not taking O2 into account leads to an underestimation of the CO2 abundance within 67P, with a relative error of about 25%. This strongly suggests that the green to red-doublet emission intensity ratio alone is not a proper tool for determining the CO2 abundance, as previously suggested. Indeed, there is no compelling reason why O2 would not be a common cometary volatile, making revision of earlier assessments regarding the CO2 abundance in cometary atmospheres necessary. The large uncertainties of the CO2 photodissociation cross section imply that more studies are required in order to better constrain the O(1S) and O(1D) production through this mechanism. Space weather phenomena, such as powerful solar flares, could be used as tools for doing so, providing additional information on a good estimation of the O2 abundance within cometary atmospheres.
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Affiliation(s)
- G. Cessateur
- Space Physics DivisionRoyal Belgian Institute for Space AeronomyBrusselsBelgium
| | - J. De Keyser
- Space Physics DivisionRoyal Belgian Institute for Space AeronomyBrusselsBelgium
- Center for Plasma AstrophysicsKatholieke Universiteit LeuvenHeverleeBelgium
| | - R. Maggiolo
- Space Physics DivisionRoyal Belgian Institute for Space AeronomyBrusselsBelgium
| | - A. Gibbons
- Space Physics DivisionRoyal Belgian Institute for Space AeronomyBrusselsBelgium
- Service de Chimie Quantique et PhotophysiqueUniversité Libre de BruxellesBrusselsBelgium
| | - G. Gronoff
- Science Directorate, Chemistry and Dynamics BranchNASA Langley Research CenterHamptonVirginiaUSA
- SSAIHamptonVirginiaUSA
| | - H. Gunell
- Space Physics DivisionRoyal Belgian Institute for Space AeronomyBrusselsBelgium
| | - F. Dhooghe
- Space Physics DivisionRoyal Belgian Institute for Space AeronomyBrusselsBelgium
| | - J. Loreau
- Service de Chimie Quantique et PhotophysiqueUniversité Libre de BruxellesBrusselsBelgium
| | - N. Vaeck
- Service de Chimie Quantique et PhotophysiqueUniversité Libre de BruxellesBrusselsBelgium
| | - K. Altwegg
- Physikalisches InstitutUniversity of BernBernSwitzerland
- Center for Space and HabitabilityUniversity of BernBernSwitzerland
| | - A. Bieler
- Physikalisches InstitutUniversity of BernBernSwitzerland
- Department of Climate and Space Sciences and EngineeringUniversity of MichiganAnn ArborMichiganUSA
| | - C. Briois
- Laboratoire de Physique et Chimie de l'Environnement et de l'EspaceUMR 7328 CNRS, Université dOrléansOrléansFrance
| | - U. Calmonte
- Physikalisches InstitutUniversity of BernBernSwitzerland
| | - M. R. Combi
- Department of Climate and Space Sciences and EngineeringUniversity of MichiganAnn ArborMichiganUSA
| | - B. Fiethe
- Institute of Computer and Network Engineering (IDA)TU BraunschweigBraunschweigGermany
| | - S. A. Fuselier
- Space Science DivisionSouthwest Research InstituteSan AntonioTexasUSA
- Department of Physics and AstronomyUniversity of Texas at San AntonioSan AntonioTexasUSA
| | - T. I. Gombosi
- Department of Climate and Space Sciences and EngineeringUniversity of MichiganAnn ArborMichiganUSA
| | - M. Hässig
- Physikalisches InstitutUniversity of BernBernSwitzerland
- Space Science DivisionSouthwest Research InstituteSan AntonioTexasUSA
| | - L. Le Roy
- Physikalisches InstitutUniversity of BernBernSwitzerland
| | - E. Neefs
- Engineering DivisionRoyal Belgian Institute for Space AeronomyBrusselsBelgium
| | - M. Rubin
- Physikalisches InstitutUniversity of BernBernSwitzerland
| | - T. Sémon
- Physikalisches InstitutUniversity of BernBernSwitzerland
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26
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Bzowski M, Swaczyna P, Kubiak MA, Sokół JM, Fuselier SA, Galli A, Heirtzler D, Kucharek H, Leonard TW, McComas DJ, Möbius E, Schwadron NA, Wurz P. INTERSTELLAR NEUTRAL HELIUM IN THE HELIOSPHERE FROM
IBEX
OBSERVATIONS. III. MACH NUMBER OF THE FLOW, VELOCITY VECTOR, AND TEMPERATURE FROM THE FIRST SIX YEARS OF MEASUREMENTS. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2015. [DOI: 10.1088/0067-0049/220/2/28] [Citation(s) in RCA: 82] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
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27
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McComas DJ, Bzowski M, Fuselier SA, Frisch PC, Galli A, Izmodenov VV, Katushkina OA, Kubiak MA, Lee MA, Leonard TW, Möbius E, Park J, Schwadron NA, Sokół JM, Swaczyna P, Wood BE, Wurz P. LOCAL INTERSTELLAR MEDIUM: SIX YEARS OF DIRECT SAMPLING BY
IBEX. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2015. [DOI: 10.1088/0067-0049/220/2/22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 108] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
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28
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Schwadron NA, Möbius E, Leonard T, Fuselier SA, McComas DJ, Heirtzler D, Kucharek H, Rahmanifard F, Bzowski M, Kubiak MA, Sokół JM, Swaczyna P, Frisch P. DETERMINATION OF INTERSTELLAR He PARAMETERS USING FIVE YEARS OF DATA FROM THE
IBEX
: BEYOND CLOSED FORM APPROXIMATIONS. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2015. [DOI: 10.1088/0067-0049/220/2/25] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
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29
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Rubin M, Altwegg K, Balsiger H, Bar-Nun A, Berthelier JJ, Bieler A, Bochsler P, Briois C, Calmonte U, Combi M, De Keyser J, Dhooghe F, Eberhardt P, Fiethe B, Fuselier SA, Gasc S, Gombosi TI, Hansen KC, Hässig M, Jäckel A, Kopp E, Korth A, Le Roy L, Mall U, Marty B, Mousis O, Owen T, Rème H, Sémon T, Tzou CY, Waite JH, Wurz P. Molecular nitrogen in comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko indicates a low formation temperature. Science 2015; 348:232-5. [PMID: 25791084 DOI: 10.1126/science.aaa6100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 176] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2015] [Accepted: 03/03/2015] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
Molecular nitrogen (N2) is thought to have been the most abundant form of nitrogen in the protosolar nebula. It is the main N-bearing molecule in the atmospheres of Pluto and Triton and probably the main nitrogen reservoir from which the giant planets formed. Yet in comets, often considered the most primitive bodies in the solar system, N2 has not been detected. Here we report the direct in situ measurement of N2 in the Jupiter family comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko, made by the Rosetta Orbiter Spectrometer for Ion and Neutral Analysis mass spectrometer aboard the Rosetta spacecraft. A N2/CO ratio of (5.70 ± 0.66) × 10(-3) (2σ standard deviation of the sampled mean) corresponds to depletion by a factor of ~25.4 ± 8.9 as compared to the protosolar value. This depletion suggests that cometary grains formed at low-temperature conditions below ~30 kelvin.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Rubin
- Physikalisches Institut, University of Bern, Sidlerstrasse 5, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland.
| | - K Altwegg
- Physikalisches Institut, University of Bern, Sidlerstrasse 5, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland. Center for Space and Habitability, University of Bern, Sidlerstrasse. 5, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - H Balsiger
- Physikalisches Institut, University of Bern, Sidlerstrasse 5, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - A Bar-Nun
- Department of Geoscience, Tel-Aviv University, Ramat-Aviv, Tel-Aviv, Israel
| | - J-J Berthelier
- Laboratoire Atmosphères, Milieux, Observations Spatiales (LATMOS)/Institute Pierre Simon Laplace-CNRS-UPMC-UVSQ, 4 Avenue de Neptune F-94100, Saint-Maur, France
| | - A Bieler
- Physikalisches Institut, University of Bern, Sidlerstrasse 5, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland. Department of Atmospheric, Oceanic and Space Sciences, University of Michigan, 2455 Hayward, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - P Bochsler
- Physikalisches Institut, University of Bern, Sidlerstrasse 5, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - C Briois
- Laboratoire de Physique et Chimie de l'Environnement et de l'Espace (LPC2E), UMR 6115 CNRS-Université d'Orléans, Orléans, France
| | - U Calmonte
- Physikalisches Institut, University of Bern, Sidlerstrasse 5, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - M Combi
- Department of Atmospheric, Oceanic and Space Sciences, University of Michigan, 2455 Hayward, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - J De Keyser
- Belgian Institute for Space Aeronomy, Belgisch Instituut voor Ruimte-Aeronomie-Institut d'Aéronomie Spatiale de Belgique (BIRA-IASB), Ringlaan 3, B-1180 Brussels, Belgium
| | - F Dhooghe
- Belgian Institute for Space Aeronomy, Belgisch Instituut voor Ruimte-Aeronomie-Institut d'Aéronomie Spatiale de Belgique (BIRA-IASB), Ringlaan 3, B-1180 Brussels, Belgium
| | - P Eberhardt
- Physikalisches Institut, University of Bern, Sidlerstrasse 5, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - B Fiethe
- Institute of Computer and Network Engineering, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Hans-Sommer-Straße 66, D-38106 Braunschweig, Germany
| | - S A Fuselier
- Department of Space Science, Southwest Research Institute, 6220 Culebra Road, San Antonio, TX 78228, USA
| | - S Gasc
- Physikalisches Institut, University of Bern, Sidlerstrasse 5, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - T I Gombosi
- Department of Atmospheric, Oceanic and Space Sciences, University of Michigan, 2455 Hayward, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - K C Hansen
- Department of Atmospheric, Oceanic and Space Sciences, University of Michigan, 2455 Hayward, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - M Hässig
- Physikalisches Institut, University of Bern, Sidlerstrasse 5, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland. Department of Space Science, Southwest Research Institute, 6220 Culebra Road, San Antonio, TX 78228, USA
| | - A Jäckel
- Physikalisches Institut, University of Bern, Sidlerstrasse 5, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - E Kopp
- Physikalisches Institut, University of Bern, Sidlerstrasse 5, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - A Korth
- Max-Planck-Institut für Sonnensystemforschung, Justus-von-Liebig-Weg 3, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - L Le Roy
- Center for Space and Habitability, University of Bern, Sidlerstrasse. 5, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - U Mall
- Max-Planck-Institut für Sonnensystemforschung, Justus-von-Liebig-Weg 3, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - B Marty
- Centre de Recherches Pétrographiques et Géochimiques (CRPG)-CNRS, Université de Lorraine, 15 rue Notre Dame des Pauvres, Bôite Postale 20, 54501 Vandoeuvre lès Nancy, France
| | - O Mousis
- Aix Marseille Université, CNRS, Laboratoire d'Astrophysique de Marseille UMR 7326, 13388, Marseille, France
| | - T Owen
- Institute for Astronomy, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA
| | - H Rème
- Université de Toulouse; UPS-OMP; Institut de Recherche en Astrophysique et Planétologie (IRAP), Toulouse, France. CNRS; IRAP; 9 Avenue du Colonel Roche, Boîte Postale 44346, F-31028 Toulouse Cedex 4, France
| | - T Sémon
- Physikalisches Institut, University of Bern, Sidlerstrasse 5, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - C-Y Tzou
- Physikalisches Institut, University of Bern, Sidlerstrasse 5, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - J H Waite
- Department of Space Science, Southwest Research Institute, 6220 Culebra Road, San Antonio, TX 78228, USA
| | - P Wurz
- Physikalisches Institut, University of Bern, Sidlerstrasse 5, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland
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30
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Trattner KJ, Onsager TG, Petrinec SM, Fuselier SA. Distinguishing between pulsed and continuous reconnection at the dayside magnetopause. J Geophys Res Space Phys 2015; 120:1684-1696. [PMID: 27656333 PMCID: PMC5014232 DOI: 10.1002/2014ja020713] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2014] [Revised: 01/22/2015] [Accepted: 01/25/2015] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Magnetic reconnection has been established as the dominant mechanism by which magnetic fields in different regions change topology to create open magnetic field lines that allow energy and momentum to flow into the magnetosphere. One of the persistent problems of magnetic reconnection is the question of whether the process is continuous or intermittent and what input condition(s) might favor one type of reconnection over the other. Observations from imagers that record FUV emissions caused by precipitating cusp ions demonstrate the global nature of magnetic reconnection. Those images show continuous ionospheric emissions even during changing interplanetary magnetic field conditions. On the other hand, in situ observations from polar-orbiting satellites show distinctive cusp structures in flux distributions of precipitating ions, which are interpreted as the telltale signature of intermittent reconnection. This study uses a modification of the low-velocity cutoff method, which was previously successfully used to determine the location of the reconnection site, to calculate for the cusp ion distributions the "time since reconnection occurred." The "time since reconnection" is used to determine the "reconnection time" for the cusp magnetic field lines where these distributions have been observed. The profile of the reconnection time, either continuous or stepped, is a direct measurement of the nature of magnetic reconnection at the reconnection site. This paper will discuss a continuous and pulsed reconnection event from the Polar spacecraft to illustrate the methodology.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - S. A. Fuselier
- Southwest Research InstituteSan AntonioTexasUSA
- Department of Physics and AstronomyUniversity of Texas at San AntonioSan AntonioTexasUSA
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31
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Hässig M, Altwegg K, Balsiger H, Bar-Nun A, Berthelier JJ, Bieler A, Bochsler P, Briois C, Calmonte U, Combi M, De Keyser J, Eberhardt P, Fiethe B, Fuselier SA, Galand M, Gasc S, Gombosi TI, Hansen KC, Jäckel A, Keller HU, Kopp E, Korth A, Kührt E, Le Roy L, Mall U, Marty B, Mousis O, Neefs E, Owen T, Rème H, Rubin M, Sémon T, Tornow C, Tzou CY, Waite JH, Wurz P. Cometary science. Time variability and heterogeneity in the coma of 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko. Science 2015; 347:aaa0276. [PMID: 25613892 DOI: 10.1126/science.aaa0276] [Citation(s) in RCA: 204] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
Comets contain the best-preserved material from the beginning of our planetary system. Their nuclei and comae composition reveal clues about physical and chemical conditions during the early solar system when comets formed. ROSINA (Rosetta Orbiter Spectrometer for Ion and Neutral Analysis) onboard the Rosetta spacecraft has measured the coma composition of comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko with well-sampled time resolution per rotation. Measurements were made over many comet rotation periods and a wide range of latitudes. These measurements show large fluctuations in composition in a heterogeneous coma that has diurnal and possibly seasonal variations in the major outgassing species: water, carbon monoxide, and carbon dioxide. These results indicate a complex coma-nucleus relationship where seasonal variations may be driven by temperature differences just below the comet surface.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Hässig
- Physikalisches Institut, University of Bern, Sidlerstrasse 5, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland. Southwest Research Institute, 6220 Culebra Road, San Antonio, TX 78238, USA.
| | - K Altwegg
- Physikalisches Institut, University of Bern, Sidlerstrasse 5, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland. Center for Space and Habitability (CSH), University of Bern, Sidlerstrasse 5, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - H Balsiger
- Physikalisches Institut, University of Bern, Sidlerstrasse 5, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - A Bar-Nun
- Department of Geosciences, Tel-Aviv University, Ramat-Aviv, Tel-Aviv, Israel
| | - J J Berthelier
- Laboratoire Atmosphères, Milieux, Observations Spatiales (LATMOS), Institute Pierre Simon Laplace (IPSL), Centre national de recherche scientifique (CNRS), Université Pierre et Marie Curie (UPMC), Université de Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines (UVSQ), BP 102, UPMC, 4 Place Jussieu, F-75252 Paris Cedex 05, France
| | - A Bieler
- Physikalisches Institut, University of Bern, Sidlerstrasse 5, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland. Department of Atmospheric, Oceanic and Space Sciences, University of Michigan, 2455 Hayward Street, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - P Bochsler
- Physikalisches Institut, University of Bern, Sidlerstrasse 5, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - C Briois
- Laboratoire de Physique et Chimie de l'Environnement et de l'Espace (LPC2E), UMR 7328 CNRS - Université d'Orléans, France
| | - U Calmonte
- Physikalisches Institut, University of Bern, Sidlerstrasse 5, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - M Combi
- Department of Atmospheric, Oceanic and Space Sciences, University of Michigan, 2455 Hayward Street, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - J De Keyser
- Belgian Institute for Space Aeronomy (BIRA-IASB), Ringlaan 3, B-1180 Brussels, Belgium. Center for Plasma Astrophysics, KULeuven, Celestijnenlaan 200D, 3001 Heverlee, Belgium
| | - P Eberhardt
- Physikalisches Institut, University of Bern, Sidlerstrasse 5, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - B Fiethe
- Institute of Computer and Network Engineering (IDA), TU Braunschweig, Hans-Sommer-Straße 66, D-38106 Braunschweig, Germany
| | - S A Fuselier
- Southwest Research Institute, 6220 Culebra Road, San Antonio, TX 78238, USA
| | - M Galand
- Department of Physics, Imperial College London, Prince Consort Road, London SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - S Gasc
- Physikalisches Institut, University of Bern, Sidlerstrasse 5, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - T I Gombosi
- Department of Atmospheric, Oceanic and Space Sciences, University of Michigan, 2455 Hayward Street, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - K C Hansen
- Department of Atmospheric, Oceanic and Space Sciences, University of Michigan, 2455 Hayward Street, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - A Jäckel
- Physikalisches Institut, University of Bern, Sidlerstrasse 5, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - H U Keller
- Institute for Geophysics and Extraterrestrial Physics, Technische Universität (TU) Braunschweig, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany. German Aerospace Center, Institute of Planetary Research, Asteroids and Comets, Rutherfordstraße 2, 12489 Berlin, Germany
| | - E Kopp
- Physikalisches Institut, University of Bern, Sidlerstrasse 5, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - A Korth
- Max-Planck-Institut für Sonnensystemforschung, Justus-von-Liebig-Weg 3, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - E Kührt
- German Aerospace Center, Institute of Planetary Research, Asteroids and Comets, Rutherfordstraße 2, 12489 Berlin, Germany
| | - L Le Roy
- Center for Space and Habitability (CSH), University of Bern, Sidlerstrasse 5, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - U Mall
- Max-Planck-Institut für Sonnensystemforschung, Justus-von-Liebig-Weg 3, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - B Marty
- Centre de Recherches Pétrographiques et Géochimiques (CRPG), 15 Rue Notre Dame des Pauvres, BP 20, 54501 Vandoeuvre lès Nancy, France
| | - O Mousis
- Aix Marseille Université, CNRS, LAM (Laboratoire d'Astrophysique de Marseille), UMR 7326, 13388, Marseille, France
| | - E Neefs
- Engineering Division, BIRA-IASB, Ringlaan 3, B-1180 Brussels, Belgium
| | - T Owen
- Institute for Astronomy, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA
| | - H Rème
- Université de Toulouse, Université Paul Sabathier (UPS), Observatoire de Midi-Pyrénées (OMP), Institut de Recherche en Astrophysique et Planétologie (IRAP), Toulouse, France. CNRS, IRAP, 9 Avenue du Colonel Roche, BP 44346, F-31028 Toulouse Cedex 4, France
| | - M Rubin
- Physikalisches Institut, University of Bern, Sidlerstrasse 5, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - T Sémon
- Physikalisches Institut, University of Bern, Sidlerstrasse 5, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - C Tornow
- German Aerospace Center, Institute of Planetary Research, Asteroids and Comets, Rutherfordstraße 2, 12489 Berlin, Germany
| | - C-Y Tzou
- Physikalisches Institut, University of Bern, Sidlerstrasse 5, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - J H Waite
- Southwest Research Institute, 6220 Culebra Road, San Antonio, TX 78238, USA
| | - P Wurz
- Physikalisches Institut, University of Bern, Sidlerstrasse 5, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland
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32
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Park J, Kucharek H, Möbius E, Leonard T, Bzowski M, Sokół JM, Kubiak MA, Fuselier SA, McComas DJ. THE Ne-TO-O ABUNDANCE RATIO OF THE INTERSTELLAR MEDIUM FROMIBEX-Lo OBSERVATIONS. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2014. [DOI: 10.1088/0004-637x/795/1/97] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
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Anderson BJ, Fuselier SA. Magnetic pulsations from 0.1 to 4.0 Hz and associated plasma properties in the Earth's subsolar magnetosheath and plasma depletion layer. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2012. [DOI: 10.1029/92ja02197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 170] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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35
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McComas DJ, Dayeh MA, Funsten HO, Fuselier SA, Goldstein J, Jahn JM, Janzen P, Mitchell DG, Petrinec SM, Reisenfeld DB, Schwadron NA. First IBEX observations of the terrestrial plasma sheet and a possible disconnection event. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2011. [DOI: 10.1029/2010ja016138] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- D. J. McComas
- Southwest Research Institute; San Antonio Texas USA
- Department of Physics and Astronomy; University of Texas at San Antonio; San Antonio Texas USA
| | - M. A. Dayeh
- Southwest Research Institute; San Antonio Texas USA
| | - H. O. Funsten
- Los Alamos National Laboratory; Los Alamos New Mexico USA
| | - S. A. Fuselier
- Lockheed Martin Advanced Technology Center; Palo Alto California USA
| | - J. Goldstein
- Southwest Research Institute; San Antonio Texas USA
- Department of Physics and Astronomy; University of Texas at San Antonio; San Antonio Texas USA
| | - J.-M. Jahn
- Southwest Research Institute; San Antonio Texas USA
- Department of Physics and Astronomy; University of Texas at San Antonio; San Antonio Texas USA
| | - P. Janzen
- Department of Physics and Astronomy; University of Montana; Missoula Montana USA
| | - D. G. Mitchell
- Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory; Laurel Maryland USA
| | - S. M. Petrinec
- Lockheed Martin Advanced Technology Center; Palo Alto California USA
| | - D. B. Reisenfeld
- Department of Physics and Astronomy; University of Montana; Missoula Montana USA
| | - N. A. Schwadron
- Southwest Research Institute; San Antonio Texas USA
- Department of Physics; University of New Hampshire; Durham New Hampshire USA
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Schläppi B, Altwegg K, Balsiger H, Hässig M, Jäckel A, Wurz P, Fiethe B, Rubin M, Fuselier SA, Berthelier JJ, De Keyser J, Rème H, Mall U. Influence of spacecraft outgassing on the exploration of tenuous atmospheres with in situ mass spectrometry. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2010. [DOI: 10.1029/2010ja015734] [Citation(s) in RCA: 81] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- B. Schläppi
- Physikalisches Institut; University of Bern; Bern Switzerland
| | - K. Altwegg
- Physikalisches Institut; University of Bern; Bern Switzerland
| | - H. Balsiger
- Physikalisches Institut; University of Bern; Bern Switzerland
| | - M. Hässig
- Physikalisches Institut; University of Bern; Bern Switzerland
| | - A. Jäckel
- Physikalisches Institut; University of Bern; Bern Switzerland
| | - P. Wurz
- Physikalisches Institut; University of Bern; Bern Switzerland
| | - B. Fiethe
- Institute of Computer and Network Engineering; TU Braunschweig; Braunschweig Germany
| | - M. Rubin
- AOSS; University of Michigan; Ann Arbor Michigan USA
| | - S. A. Fuselier
- Space Physics Department; Lockheed Martin Advanced Technology Center; Palo Alto California USA
| | | | - J. De Keyser
- Space Physics Division; BIRA-IASB; Brussels Belgium
| | - H. Rème
- UPS, CESR; University of Toulouse; Toulouse France
- CNRS, UMR 5187; Toulouse France
| | - U. Mall
- Max-Planck-Institut für Sonnensystemforschung; Katlenburg-Lindau Germany
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37
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McComas DJ, Bzowski M, Frisch P, Crew GB, Dayeh MA, DeMajistre R, Funsten HO, Fuselier SA, Gruntman M, Janzen P, Kubiak MA, Livadiotis G, Möbius E, Reisenfeld DB, Schwadron NA. Evolving outer heliosphere: Large-scale stability and time variations observed by the Interstellar Boundary Explorer. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2010. [DOI: 10.1029/2010ja015569] [Citation(s) in RCA: 86] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- D. J. McComas
- Southwest Research Institute; San Antonio Texas USA
- Department of Physics and Astronomy; University of Texas at San Antonio; San Antonio Texas USA
| | - M. Bzowski
- Space Research Centre; Polish Academy of Sciences; Warsaw Poland
| | - P. Frisch
- Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics; University of Chicago; Chicago Illinois USA
| | - G. B. Crew
- Kavli Institute for Astrophysics and Space Research; Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Cambridge Massachusetts USA
| | - M. A. Dayeh
- Southwest Research Institute; San Antonio Texas USA
| | - R. DeMajistre
- Applied Physics Laboratory; Johns Hopkins University; Laurel Maryland USA
| | - H. O. Funsten
- Los Alamos National Laboratory; Los Alamos New Mexico USA
| | - S. A. Fuselier
- Lockheed Martin Advanced Technology Center; Palo Alto California USA
| | - M. Gruntman
- Division of Astronautical Engineering, Viterbi School of Engineering; University of Southern California; Los Angeles California USA
| | - P. Janzen
- Department of Physics and Astronomy; University of Montana; Missoula Montana USA
| | - M. A. Kubiak
- Space Research Centre; Polish Academy of Sciences; Warsaw Poland
| | | | - E. Möbius
- Space Science Center; University of New Hampshire; Durham New Hampshire USA
| | - D. B. Reisenfeld
- Department of Physics and Astronomy; University of Montana; Missoula Montana USA
| | - N. A. Schwadron
- Southwest Research Institute; San Antonio Texas USA
- Space Science Center; University of New Hampshire; Durham New Hampshire USA
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38
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McComas DJ, Allegrini F, Bochsler P, Bzowski M, Christian ER, Crew GB, DeMajistre R, Fahr H, Fichtner H, Frisch PC, Funsten HO, Fuselier SA, Gloeckler G, Gruntman M, Heerikhuisen J, Izmodenov V, Janzen P, Knappenberger P, Krimigis S, Kucharek H, Lee M, Livadiotis G, Livi S, MacDowall RJ, Mitchell D, Möbius E, Moore T, Pogorelov NV, Reisenfeld D, Roelof E, Saul L, Schwadron NA, Valek PW, Vanderspek R, Wurz P, Zank GP. Global observations of the interstellar interaction from the Interstellar Boundary Explorer (IBEX). Science 2009; 326:959-962. [PMID: 19833923 DOI: 10.1007/s11214-009-9499-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2008] [Accepted: 03/23/2009] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
The Sun moves through the local interstellar medium, continuously emitting ionized, supersonic solar wind plasma and carving out a cavity in interstellar space called the heliosphere. The recently launched Interstellar Boundary Explorer (IBEX) spacecraft has completed its first all-sky maps of the interstellar interaction at the edge of the heliosphere by imaging energetic neutral atoms (ENAs) emanating from this region. We found a bright ribbon of ENA emission, unpredicted by prior models or theories, that may be ordered by the local interstellar magnetic field interacting with the heliosphere. This ribbon is superposed on globally distributed flux variations ordered by both the solar wind structure and the direction of motion through the interstellar medium. Our results indicate that the external galactic environment strongly imprints the heliosphere.
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Affiliation(s)
- D J McComas
- Southwest Research Institute, San Antonio, TX 78228, USA.
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39
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Fuselier SA, Allegrini F, Funsten HO, Ghielmetti AG, Heirtzler D, Kucharek H, Lennartsson OW, McComas DJ, Möbius E, Moore TE, Petrinec SM, Saul LA, Scheer JA, Schwadron N, Wurz P. Width and variation of the ENA flux ribbon observed by the Interstellar Boundary Explorer. Science 2009; 326:962-4. [PMID: 19833916 DOI: 10.1126/science.1180981] [Citation(s) in RCA: 143] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
The dominant feature in Interstellar Boundary Explorer (IBEX) sky maps of heliospheric energetic neutral atom (ENA) flux is a ribbon of enhanced flux that extends over a broad range of ecliptic latitudes and longitudes. It is narrow (approximately 20 degrees average width) but long (extending over 300 degrees in the sky) and is observed at energies from 0.2 to 6 kilo-electron volts. We demonstrate that the flux in the ribbon is a factor of 2 to 3 times higher than that of the more diffuse, globally distributed heliospheric ENA flux. The ribbon is most pronounced at approximately 1 kilo-electron volt. The average width of the ribbon is nearly constant, independent of energy. The ribbon is likely the result of an enhancement in the combined solar wind and pickup ion populations in the heliosheath.
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Affiliation(s)
- S A Fuselier
- Lockheed Martin Advanced Technology Center, Palo Alto, CA 94304, USA.
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40
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McComas DJ, Allegrini F, Bochsler P, Bzowski M, Christian ER, Crew GB, DeMajistre R, Fahr H, Fichtner H, Frisch PC, Funsten HO, Fuselier SA, Gloeckler G, Gruntman M, Heerikhuisen J, Izmodenov V, Janzen P, Knappenberger P, Krimigis S, Kucharek H, Lee M, Livadiotis G, Livi S, MacDowall RJ, Mitchell D, Möbius E, Moore T, Pogorelov NV, Reisenfeld D, Roelof E, Saul L, Schwadron NA, Valek PW, Vanderspek R, Wurz P, Zank GP. Global observations of the interstellar interaction from the Interstellar Boundary Explorer (IBEX). Science 2009; 326:959-62. [PMID: 19833923 DOI: 10.1126/science.1180906] [Citation(s) in RCA: 390] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
The Sun moves through the local interstellar medium, continuously emitting ionized, supersonic solar wind plasma and carving out a cavity in interstellar space called the heliosphere. The recently launched Interstellar Boundary Explorer (IBEX) spacecraft has completed its first all-sky maps of the interstellar interaction at the edge of the heliosphere by imaging energetic neutral atoms (ENAs) emanating from this region. We found a bright ribbon of ENA emission, unpredicted by prior models or theories, that may be ordered by the local interstellar magnetic field interacting with the heliosphere. This ribbon is superposed on globally distributed flux variations ordered by both the solar wind structure and the direction of motion through the interstellar medium. Our results indicate that the external galactic environment strongly imprints the heliosphere.
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Affiliation(s)
- D J McComas
- Southwest Research Institute, San Antonio, TX 78228, USA.
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41
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Möbius E, Bochsler P, Bzowski M, Crew GB, Funsten HO, Fuselier SA, Ghielmetti A, Heirtzler D, Izmodenov VV, Kubiak M, Kucharek H, Lee MA, Leonard T, McComas DJ, Petersen L, Saul L, Scheer JA, Schwadron N, Witte M, Wurz P. Direct observations of interstellar H, He, and O by the Interstellar Boundary Explorer. Science 2009; 326:969-71. [PMID: 19833917 DOI: 10.1126/science.1180971] [Citation(s) in RCA: 111] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
Neutral gas of the local interstellar medium flows through the inner solar system while being deflected by solar gravity and depleted by ionization. The dominating feature in the energetic neutral atom Interstellar Boundary Explorer (IBEX) all-sky maps at low energies is the hydrogen, helium, and oxygen interstellar gas flow. The He and O flow peaked around 8 February 2009 in accordance with gravitational deflection, whereas H dominated after 26 March 2009, consistent with approximate balance of gravitational attraction by solar radiation pressure. The flow distributions arrive from a few degrees above the ecliptic plane and show the same temperature for He and O. An asymmetric O distribution in ecliptic latitude points to a secondary component from the outer heliosheath.
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Affiliation(s)
- E Möbius
- Space Science Center and Department of Physics, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH 03824, USA.
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42
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Funsten HO, Allegrini F, Crew GB, DeMajistre R, Frisch PC, Fuselier SA, Gruntman M, Janzen P, McComas DJ, Möbius E, Randol B, Reisenfeld DB, Roelof EC, Schwadron NA. Structures and spectral variations of the outer heliosphere in IBEX energetic neutral atom maps. Science 2009; 326:964-6. [PMID: 19833918 DOI: 10.1126/science.1180927] [Citation(s) in RCA: 173] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
The Interstellar Boundary Explorer (IBEX) has obtained all-sky images of energetic neutral atoms emitted from the heliosheath, located between the solar wind termination shock and the local interstellar medium (LISM). These flux maps reveal distinct nonthermal (0.2 to 6 kilo-electron volts) heliosheath proton populations with spectral signatures ordered predominantly by ecliptic latitude. The maps show a globally distributed population of termination-shock-heated protons and a superimposed ribbonlike feature that forms a circular arc in the sky centered on ecliptic coordinate (longitude lambda, latitude beta) = (221 degrees, 39 degrees), probably near the direction of the LISM magnetic field. Over the IBEX energy range, the ribbon's nonthermal ion pressure multiplied by its radial thickness is in the range of 70 to 100 picodynes per square centimeter AU (AU, astronomical unit), which is significantly larger than the 30 to 60 picodynes per square centimeter AU of the globally distributed population.
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Affiliation(s)
- H O Funsten
- Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM 87545, USA.
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43
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Wieser M, Wurz P, Moebius E, Fuselier SA, Hertzberg E, McComas DJ. The ion-optical prototype of the low energy neutral atom sensor of the Interstellar Boundary Explorer Mission (IBEX). Rev Sci Instrum 2007; 78:124502. [PMID: 18163739 DOI: 10.1063/1.2821235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
The direct measurement of the energetic neutral atoms originating from the heliospheric termination shock and beyond as well as neutral interstellar gas penetrating into the heliosphere requires a very sensitive neutral particle imaging instrument in the energy range of 10-1000 eV. We present the development of the prototype of the low energy sensor for the Interstellar Boundary Explorer (IBEX) mission: IBEX-Lo is a neutral particle mass spectrometer dedicated to the measurement of energetic neutral atoms in this energy range. The response of the sensor to incident neutral hydrogen, helium, and oxygen atoms is discussed as well as the properties of the sensor's ion optics, the neutral-to-negative conversion surfaces, and other instrumental parameters.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Wieser
- Physikalisches Institut, University of Bern, Sidlerstrasse 5, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
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44
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Frey HU, Phan TD, Fuselier SA, Mende SB. Continuous magnetic reconnection at Earth's magnetopause. Nature 2003; 426:533-7. [PMID: 14654835 DOI: 10.1038/nature02084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 110] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2003] [Accepted: 09/23/2003] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
The most important process that allows solar-wind plasma to cross the magnetopause and enter Earth's magnetosphere is the merging between solar-wind and terrestrial magnetic fields of opposite sense-magnetic reconnection. It is at present not known whether reconnection can happen in a continuous fashion or whether it is always intermittent. Solar flares and magnetospheric substorms--two phenomena believed to be initiated by reconnection--are highly burst-like occurrences, raising the possibility that the reconnection process is intrinsically intermittent, storing and releasing magnetic energy in an explosive and uncontrolled manner. Here we show that reconnection at Earth's high-latitude magnetopause is driven directly by the solar wind, and can be continuous and even quasi-steady over an extended period of time. The dayside proton auroral spot in the ionosphere--the remote signature of high-latitude magnetopause reconnection--is present continuously for many hours. We infer that reconnection is not intrinsically intermittent; its steadiness depends on the way that the process is driven.
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Affiliation(s)
- H U Frey
- Space Sciences Laboratory, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720-7450, USA.
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45
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Collier MR, Moore TE, Ogilvie KW, Chornay D, Keller JW, Boardsen S, Burch J, El Marji B, Fok MC, Fuselier SA, Ghielmetti AG, Giles BL, Hamilton DC, Peko BL, Quinn JM, Roelof EC, Stephen TM, Wilson GR, Wurz P. Observations of neutral atoms from the solar wind. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2001. [DOI: 10.1029/2000ja000382] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
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46
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Burch JL, Mende SB, Mitchell DG, Moore TE, Pollock CJ, Reinisch BW, Sandel BR, Fuselier SA, Gallagher DL, Green JL, Perez JD, Reiff PH. Views of Earth's magnetosphere with the image satellite. Science 2001; 291:619-24. [PMID: 11158668 DOI: 10.1126/science.291.5504.619] [Citation(s) in RCA: 134] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
The IMAGE spacecraft uses photon and neutral atom imaging and radio sounding techniques to provide global images of Earth's inner magnetosphere and upper atmosphere. Auroral imaging at ultraviolet wavelengths shows that the proton aurora is displaced equatorward with respect to the electron aurora and that discrete auroral forms at higher latitudes are caused almost completely by electrons. Energetic neutral atom imaging of ions injected into the inner magnetosphere during magnetospheric disturbances shows a strong energy-dependent drift that leads to the formation of the ring current by ions in the several tens of kiloelectron volts energy range. Ultraviolet imaging of the plasmasphere has revealed two unexpected features-a premidnight trough region and a dayside shoulder region-and has confirmed the 30-year-old theory of the formation of a plasma tail extending from the duskside plasmasphere toward the magnetopause.
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Affiliation(s)
- J L Burch
- Southwest Research Institute, Post Office Drawer 28510, San Antonio, TX 78228, USA.
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47
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Fuselier SA, Trattner KJ, Petrinec SM. Cusp observations of high- and low-latitude reconnection for northward interplanetary magnetic field. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2000. [DOI: 10.1029/1999ja900422] [Citation(s) in RCA: 89] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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48
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Anderson BJ, Denton RE, Ho G, Hamilton DC, Fuselier SA, Strangeway RJ. Observational test of local proton cyclotron instability in the Earth's magnetosphere. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 1996. [DOI: 10.1029/96ja01251] [Citation(s) in RCA: 121] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
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