| 1. |
- Lu, San, et al.
(författare)
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Magnetotail reconnection onset caused by electron kinetics with a strong external driver
- 2020
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Ingår i: Nature Communications. - : Springer Nature. - 2041-1723. ; 11:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Magnetotail reconnection plays a crucial role in explosive energy conversion in geospace. Because of the lack of in-situ spacecraft observations, the onset mechanism of magnetotail reconnection, however, has been controversial for decades. The key question is whether magnetotail reconnection is externally driven to occur first on electron scales or spontaneously arising from an unstable configuration on ion scales. Here, we show, using spacecraft observations and particle-in-cell (PIC) simulations, that magnetotail reconnection starts from electron reconnection in the presence of a strong external driver. Our PIC simulations show that this electron reconnection then develops into ion reconnection. These results provide direct evidence for magnetotail reconnection onset caused by electron kinetics with a strong external driver.
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| 2. |
- Tao, J. B., et al.
(författare)
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A model of electromagnetic electron phase-space holes and its application
- 2011
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Ingår i: Journal of Geophysical Research. - 0148-0227 .- 2156-2202. ; 116, s. A11213-
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Electron phase-space holes (EHs) are indicators of nonlinear activities in space plasmas. Most often they are observed as electrostatic signals, but recently Andersson et al. [2009] reported electromagnetic EHs observed by the THEMIS mission in the Earth's plasma sheet. As a follow-up to Andersson et al. [2009], this paper presents a model of electromagnetic EHs where the delta E x B(0) drift of electrons creates a net current. The model is examined with test-particle simulations and compared to the electromagnetic EHs reported by Andersson et al. [2009]. As an application of the model, we introduce a more accurate method than the simplified Lorentz transformation of Andersson et al. [2009] to derive EH velocity (v(EH)). The sizes and potentials of EHs are derived from v(EH), so an accurate derivation of v(EH) is important in analyzing EHs. In general, our results are qualitatively consistent with those of Andersson et al. [2009] but generally with smaller velocities and sizes.
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| 3. |
- Tao, J. B., et al.
(författare)
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Kinetic instabilities in the lunar wake : ARTEMIS observations
- 2012
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Ingår i: Journal of Geophysical Research. - 0148-0227 .- 2156-2202. ; 117, s. A03106-
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The Acceleration, Reconnection, Turbulence and Electrodynamics of the Moon's Interaction with the Sun (ARTEMIS) mission is a new two-probe lunar mission derived from the Time History of Events and Macroscale Interactions during Substorms (THEMIS) mission. On 13 February 2010, one of the two probes, ARTEMIS P1 (formerly THEMIS-B), made the first lunar wake flyby of the mission. We present detailed analysis of the electrostatic waves observed on the outbound side of the flyby that were associated with electron beams. Halekas et al. (2011) derived a net potential across the lunar wake from observations and suggested that the net potential generated the observed electron beams and the electron beams in turn excited the observed electrostatic waves due to kinetic instabilities. The wavelengths and velocities of the electrostatic waves are estimated, using high-resolution electric field instrument data with cross-spectrum analysis and cross-correlation analysis. In general, the estimated wavelengths vary from a few hundred meters to a couple of thousand meters. The estimated phase velocities are on the order of 1000 km s(-1). In addition, we perform 1-D Vlasov simulations to help identify the mode of the observed electrostatic waves. We conclude that the observed electrostatic waves are likely on the electron beam mode branch.
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| 4. |
- Andersson, L., et al.
(författare)
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New Features of Electron Phase Space Holes Observed by the THEMIS Mission
- 2009
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Ingår i: Physical Review Letters. - 0031-9007 .- 1079-7114. ; 102:22, s. 225004-
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Observations of electron phase-space holes (EHs) in Earth's plasma sheet by the THEMIS satellites include the first detection of a magnetic perturbation (delta B-parallel to) parallel to the ambient magnetic field (B-0). EHs with a detectable delta B-parallel to have several distinguishing features including large electric field amplitudes, a magnetic perturbation perpendicular to B-0, high speeds (similar to 0.3c) along B-0, and sizes along B-0 of tens of Debye lengths. These EHs have a significant center potential (Phi similar to k(B)T(e)/e), suggesting strongly nonlinear behavior nearby such as double layers or magnetic reconnection.
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| 5. |
- Ergun, R. E., et al.
(författare)
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Observations of Double Layers in Earth's Plasma Sheet
- 2009
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Ingår i: Physical Review Letters. - 0031-9007 .- 1079-7114. ; 102:15, s. 155002-
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We report the first direct observations of parallel electric fields (E-parallel to) carried by double layers (DLs) in the plasma sheet of Earth's magnetosphere. The DL observations, made by the THEMIS spacecraft, have E-parallel to signals that are analogous to those reported in the auroral region. DLs are observed during bursty bulk flow events, in the current sheet, and in plasma sheet boundary layer, all during periods of strong magnetic fluctuations. These observations imply that DLs are a universal process and that strongly nonlinear and kinetic behavior is intrinsic to Earth's plasma sheet.
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