| 1. |
- Retino, Alessandro, et al.
(författare)
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Solar wind test of the de Broglie-Proca massive photon with Cluster multi-spacecraft data
- 2016
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Ingår i: Astroparticle physics. - : Elsevier. - 0927-6505 .- 1873-2852. ; 82, s. 49-55
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Our understanding of the universe at large and small scales relies largely on electromagnetic observations. As photons are the messengers, fundamental physics has a concern in testing their properties, including the absence of mass. We use Cluster four spacecraft data in the solar wind at 1 AU to estimate the mass upper limit for the photon. We look for deviations from Ampere's law, through the curlometer technique for the computation of the magnetic field, and through the measurements of ion and electron velocities for the computation of the current. We show that the upper bound for m(gamma) lies between 1.4 x 10(-49) and 3.4 x 10(-51) kg, and thereby discuss the currently accepted lower limits in the solar wind.
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| 2. |
- Bavassano Cattaneo, M. Bice, et al.
(författare)
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Kinetic signatures during a quasi-continuous lobe reconnection event : Cluster Ion Spectrometer (CIS) observations
- 2006
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Ingår i: Journal of Geophysical Research. - 0148-0227 .- 2156-2202. ; 111:A9, s. A09212-
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- On 3 December 2001 the Cluster spacecraft observed a long-lasting lobe reconnection event in the southern high-latitude dusk magnetopause (MP) tailward of the cusp, during a 4 hour interval of mainly northward interplanetary magnetic field ( IMF) and of sub-Alfvenic magnetosheath flow. Almost all the MP encounters have accelerated flows ( for which the Walen test has been successfully verified by Retino et al. ( 2005)) as well as a large number of secondary populations related to reconnection, that is, ions of magnetosheath or magnetospheric origin which cross the MP either way. The detailed analysis of the distribution functions shows that the reconnection site frequently moves relative to the spacecraft, but simultaneous measurements by two spacecraft on opposite sides of the reconnection site indicate that the spacecraft's distance from the X line is small, i.e., below 3200 km. The vicinity to the X line throughout the event is probably the reason why the distribution functions characteristics agree with theoretical expectations on both sides of the reconnection site throughout this long event. Moreover, the detailed analysis of the distribution functions shows evidence, during a few time intervals, of dual reconnection, i.e., of reconnection simultaneously going on also in the northern hemisphere.
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| 3. |
- Catapano, Filomena, et al.
(författare)
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In Situ Evidence of Ion Acceleration between Consecutive Reconnection Jet Fronts
- 2021
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Ingår i: Astrophysical Journal. - : American Astronomical Society. - 0004-637X .- 1538-4357. ; 908:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Processes driven by unsteady reconnection can efficiently accelerate particles in many astrophysical plasmas. An example is the reconnection jet fronts in an outflow region. We present evidence of suprathermal ion acceleration between two consecutive reconnection jet fronts observed by the Magnetospheric Multiscale mission in the terrestrial magnetotail. An earthward propagating jet is approached by a second faster jet. Between the jets, the thermal ions are mostly perpendicular to magnetic field, are trapped, and are gradually accelerated in the parallel direction up to 150 keV. Observations suggest that ions are predominantly accelerated by a Fermi-like mechanism in the contracting magnetic bottle formed between the two jet fronts. The ion acceleration mechanism is presumably efficient in other environments where jet fronts produced by variable rates of reconnection are common and where the interaction of multiple jet fronts can also develop a turbulent environment, e.g., in stellar and solar eruptions.
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| 4. |
- Dai, Lei, et al.
(författare)
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AME : A Cross-Scale Constellation of CubeSats to Explore Magnetic Reconnection in the Solar-Terrestrial Relation
- 2020
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Ingår i: Frontiers in Physics. - : Frontiers Media SA. - 2296-424X. ; 8
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- A major subset of solar-terrestrial relations, responsible, in particular, for the driver of space weather phenomena, is the interaction between the Earth's magnetosphere and the solar wind. As one of the most important modes of the solar-wind-magnetosphere interaction, magnetic reconnection regulates the energy transport and energy release in the solar-terrestrial relation. In situ measurements in the near-Earth space are crucial for understanding magnetic reconnection. Past and existing spacecraft constellation missions mainly focus on the measurement of reconnection on plasma kinetic-scales. Resolving the macro-scale and cross-scale aspects of magnetic reconnection is necessary for accurate assessment and predictions of its role in the context of space weather. Here, we propose the AME (self-Adaptive Magnetic reconnection Explorer) mission consisting of a cross-scale constellation of 12+ CubeSats and one mother satellite. Each CubeSat is equipped with instruments to measure magnetic fields and thermal plasma particles. With multiple CubeSats, the AME constellation is intended to make simultaneous measurements at multiple scales, capable of exploring cross-scale plasma processes ranging from kinetic scale to macro scale.
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| 5. |
- Eastwood, J.P., et al.
(författare)
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Multi-point observations of the Hall electromagnetic field and secondary island formation during magnetic reconnection
- 2007
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Ingår i: Journal of Geophysical Research. - 0148-0227 .- 2156-2202. ; 112:A6, s. A06235-
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- A key feature of collisionless magnetic reconnection is the formation of Hall magnetic and electric field structure in the vicinity of the diffusion region. Here we present multi‐point Cluster observations of a reconnection event in the near‐Earth magnetotail where the diffusion region was nested by the Cluster spacecraft; we compare observations made simultaneously by different spacecraft on opposite sides of the magnetotail current sheet. This allows the spatial structure of both the electric and magnetic field to be probed. It is found that, close to the diffusion region, the magnetic field displays a symmetric quadrupole structure. The Hall electric field is symmetric, observed to be inwardly directed on both sides of the current sheet. It is large (∼40 mV m−1) on the earthward side of the diffusion region, but substantially weaker on the tailward side, suggesting a reduced reconnection rate reflected by a similar reduction in Ey. A small‐scale magnetic flux rope was observed in conjunction with these observations. This flux rope, observed very close to the reconnection site and entrained in the plasma flow, may correspond to what have been termed secondary islands in computer simulations. The core magnetic field inside the flux rope is enhanced by a factor of 3, even though the lobe guide field is negligible. Observations of the electric field inside the magnetic island show extremely strong (∼100 mV m−1) fields which may play a significant role in the particle dynamics during reconnection.
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| 6. |
- Krasnoselskikh, Vladimir, et al.
(författare)
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ICARUS : in-situ studies of the solar corona beyond Parker Solar Probe and Solar Orbiter
- 2022
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Ingår i: Experimental astronomy. - : Springer Nature. - 0922-6435 .- 1572-9508. ; 54:2-3, s. 277-315
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The primary scientific goal of ICARUS (Investigation of Coronal AcceleRation and heating of solar wind Up to the Sun), a mother-daughter satellite mission, proposed in response to the ESA “Voyage 2050” Call, will be to determine how the magnetic field and plasma dynamics in the outer solar atmosphere give rise to the corona, the solar wind, and the entire heliosphere. Reaching this goal will be a Rosetta Stone step, with results that are broadly applicable within the fields of space plasma physics and astrophysics. Within ESA’s Cosmic Vision roadmap, these science goals address Theme 2: “How does the Solar System work?” by investigating basic processes occurring “From the Sun to the edge of the Solar System”. ICARUS will not only advance our understanding of the plasma environment around our Sun, but also of the numerous magnetically active stars with hot plasma coronae. ICARUS I will perform the first direct in situ measurements of electromagnetic fields, particle acceleration, wave activity, energy distribution, and flows directly in the regions in which the solar wind emerges from the coronal plasma. ICARUS I will have a perihelion altitude of 1 solar radius and will cross the region where the major energy deposition occurs. The polar orbit of ICARUS I will enable crossing the regions where both the fast and slow winds are generated. It will probe the local characteristics of the plasma and provide unique information about the physical processes involved in the creation of the solar wind. ICARUS II will observe this region using remote-sensing instruments, providing simultaneous, contextual information about regions crossed by ICARUS I and the solar atmosphere below as observed by solar telescopes. It will thus provide bridges for understanding the magnetic links between the heliosphere and the solar atmosphere. Such information is crucial to our understanding of the plasma physics and electrodynamics of the solar atmosphere. ICARUS II will also play a very important relay role, enabling the radio-link with ICARUS I. It will receive, collect, and store information transmitted from ICARUS I during its closest approach to the Sun. It will also perform preliminary data processing before transmitting it to Earth. Performing such unique in situ observations in the area where presumably hazardous solar energetic particles are energized, ICARUS will provide fundamental advances in our capabilities to monitor and forecast the space radiation environment. Therefore, the results from the ICARUS mission will be extremely crucial for future space explorations, especially for long-term crewed space missions.
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| 7. |
- Marcucci, M. F., et al.
(författare)
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Extended SuperDARN and IMAGE observations for northward IMF : Evidence for dual lobe reconnection
- 2008
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Ingår i: Journal of Geophysical Research. - 0148-0227 .- 2156-2202. ; 113:A2, s. A02204-
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We present observations of ionospheric convection in the Northern Hemisphere made by the SuperDARN radar network during a 3 h period on 3 December 2001. The interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) during the time of observations is predominately northward with the By component changing from positive to slightly negative. During this period Cluster is skimming the southern high latitude dusk magnetopause and reveals that reconnection is going on quasi-continuously with the reconnection site being most of the time tailward of the southern cusp and always near the satellite location (Retino, et al., 2005). Detailed analysis of the three dimensional distribution function indicates that Cluster samples magnetosheath lines connected with geomagnetic field lines tailward of the cusps in both hemispheres (Bavassano Cattaneo et al., 2006). The evolution of the ionospheric convection measured by SuperDARN, together with IMAGE FUV observations of aurorae and DMSP particle precipitation data, confirms Cluster observations and shows that simultaneous reconnection poleward of both the northern and southern cusps occurs at a variable rate on the dusk part of the magnetosphere when the IMF clock angle is small.
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| 8. |
- Mozer, F.S., et al.
(författare)
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Quantitative estimates of magnetic field reconnection properties from electric and magnetic field measurements
- 2007
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Ingår i: Journal of Geophysical Research. - 0148-0227 .- 2156-2202. ; 112:A10, s. A10206-
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Reconnection occurs in a reconnection magnetic field geometry when there are positive electric field components tangential to the magnetopause and a magnetic field component normal to it. Because these three components are the smallest of the six electric and magnetic fields, their magnitudes are difficult to determine because of errors in, or oscillations of, the assumed constant direction normal to the current sheet. A method is described for minimizing these errors by appropriate selection of the normal direction and by analyzing the correlations between the large normal electric field and the large tangential magnetic field. The correlation coefficients are equal to ratios of the small fields, which are combined with the less accurate measurements of the averages of the small fields to produce best estimates of the small fields. For more than 120 magnetopause crossings, about 40% had such correlations that signify static conditions during those crossings. This method is applied to 22 polar subsolar magnetopause crossings to show that most were located in the ion diffusion region, as defined by the change of the total magnetic field, and that 14 had a large and steady reconnection rate with a zero parallel electric field. In these events the reconnection rate decreased with increasing guide magnetic field.
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| 9. |
- Retinò, Alessandro, et al.
(författare)
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Cluster multispacecraft observations at the high latitude duskside magnetopause: implications for continuous and component magnetic reconnection
- 2005
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Ingår i: Annales Geophysicae. - : Copernicus GmbH. - 0992-7689 .- 1432-0576. ; 23:2, s. 461-473
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We report multispacecraft Cluster observations of magnetic reconnection at the high-latitude magnetopause/magnetospheric boundary layer (MP/BL) under mainly northward interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) conditions. The event we study is on 3 December 2001 when the Cluster spacecraft were skimming the high-latitude duskside MP/BL during a period of about four hours. The orbit and configuration of the spacecraft were such that at least one satellite was present in the MP/BL during most of that period. We present the evidence of reconnection in the form of tangential stress balance between the magnetosheath and the MP/BL (Walen test) and in several cases in the form of transmitted magnetosheath ions in the MP/BL and incident/reflected magnetosheath ions in the magnetosheath boundary layer (MSBL). The observations are consistent with magnetic reconnection occurring tailward of the cusp and going on continuously for a period of about four hours. The observed directions of the reconnection flows are consistent with the IMF orientation, thus indicating that reconnection is globally controlled by the IMF. Observations of a few flow reversals suggest passages of the spacecraft close to the X-line. The observation of low magnetic shear across the magnetopause during a flow reversal is consistent with component merging at least in one case. The observation of reconnection flows on the duskside magnetopause irrespective of the change in the sign of the IMF By also suggests a better agreement with the component merging model, though antiparallel merging cannot be excluded because the distance from the X-line is not known.
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| 10. |
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| 11. |
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| 12. |
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| 13. |
- Retinò, Alessandro, et al.
(författare)
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In situ evidence of magnetic reconnection in turbulent plasma
- 2007
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Ingår i: Nature Physics. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1745-2473 .- 1745-2481. ; 3:4, s. 235-238
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Magnetic reconnection is a universal process leading to energy conversion in plasmas. It occurs in the Solar System, in laboratory plasmas and is important in astrophysics . Reconnection has been observed so far only at large-scale boundaries between different plasma environments . It is not known whether reconnection occurs and is important in turbulent plasmas where many small-scale boundaries can form. Solar and laboratory measurements as well as numerical simulations indicate such possibility. Here we report, for the first time, in situ evidence of reconnection in a turbulent plasma. The turbulent environment is the solar wind downstream of the Earths bow shock. We show that reconnection is fast and electromagnetic energy is converted into heating and acceleration of particles. This has significant implications for laboratory and astrophysical plasmas where both turbulence and reconnection should be common.
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| 14. |
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| 15. |
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| 16. |
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| 17. |
- Retinò, Alessandro, 1974-
(författare)
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Magnetic Reconnection in Space Plasmas : Cluster Spacecraft Observations
- 2007
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Magnetic reconnection is a universal process occurring at boundaries between magnetized plasmas, where changes in the topology of the magnetic field lead to the transport of charged particles across the boundaries and to the conversion of electromagnetic energy into kinetic and thermal energy of the particles. Reconnection occurs in laboratory plasmas, in solar system plasmas and it is considered to play a key role in many other space environments such as magnetized stars and accretion disks around stars and planets under formation. Magnetic reconnection is a multi-scale plasma process where the small spatial and temporal scales are strongly coupled to the large scales. Reconnection is initiated rapidly in small regions by microphysical processes but it affects very large volumes of space for long times. The best laboratory to experimentally study magnetic reconnection at different scales is the near-Earth space, the so-called Geospace, where Cluster spacecraft in situ measurements are available. The European Space Agency Cluster mission is composed of four-spacecraft flying in a formation and this allows, for the first time, simultaneous four-point measurements at different scales, thanks to the changeable spacecraft separation. In this thesis Cluster observations of magnetic reconnection in Geospace are presented both at large and at small scales. At large temporal (a few hours) and spatial (several thousands km) scales, both fluid and kinetic evidence of reconnection is provided. The evidence consist of ions accelerated and transmitted across the Earth’s magnetopause. The observations show that component reconnection occurs at the magnetopause and that reconnection is continuous in time. The microphysics of reconnection is investigated at smaller temporal (a few ion gyroperiods) and spatial (a few ion gyroradii) scales. Two regions are important for the microphysics: the X-region, around the X-line, where reconnection is initiated and the separatrix region, away from the X-line, where most of the energy conversion occurs. Observations of a separatrix region at the magnetopause are shown and the microphysics is described in detail. The separatrix region is shown to be highly structured and dynamic even away from the X-line.Finally the discovery of magnetic reconnection in turbulent plasma is presented by showing, for the first time, in situ evidence of reconnection in a thin current sheet found in the turbulent plasma downstream of the quasi-parallel Earth’s bow shock. It is shown that turbulent reconnection is fast and that electromagnetic energy is converted into heating and acceleration of particles in turbulent plasma. It is also shown that reconnecting current sheets are abundant in turbulent plasma and that reconnection can be an efficient energy dissipation mechanism.
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| 18. |
- Retinò, Alessandro, et al.
(författare)
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Microphysics of reconnection
- 2006
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Ingår i: Space sci.Rev.. ; 122
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)
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| 19. |
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| 20. |
- Rosenqvist, Lisa, et al.
(författare)
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Modulated reconnection rate and energy conversion at the magnetopause under steady IMF conditions
- 2008
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Ingår i: Geophysical Research Letters. - 0094-8276 .- 1944-8007. ; 35:8
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We use the multi-spacecraft mission Cluster to make observational estimates of the local energy conversion across the dayside high-latitude magnetopause. The energy conversion is estimated during eleven complete magnetopause crossings under steady south-dawnward interplanetary magnetic field (IMF). We describe a new method to determine the reconnection rate from the magnitude of the local energy conversion. The reconnection rate as well as the energy conversion varies during the course of the eleven crossings and is typically much higher for the outbound crossings. This supports the previous interpretation that reconnection is continuous but its rate is modulated.
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| 21. |
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| 22. |
- Sorriso-Valvo, Luca, et al.
(författare)
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Sign Singularity of the Local Energy Transfer in Space Plasma Turbulence
- 2019
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Ingår i: Frontiers in Physics. - : FRONTIERS MEDIA SA. - 2296-424X. ; 7
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- In weakly collisional space plasmas, the turbulent cascade provides most of the energy that is dissipated at small scales by various kinetic processes. Understanding the characteristics of such dissipative mechanisms requires the accurate knowledge of the fluctuations that make energy available for conversion at small scales, as different dissipation processes are triggered by fluctuations of a different nature. The scaling properties of different energy channels are estimated here using a proxy of the local energy transfer, based on the third-order moment scaling law for magnetohydrodynamic turbulence. In particular, the sign-singularity analysis was used to explore the scaling properties of the alternating positive-negative energy fluxes, thus providing information on the structure and topology of such fluxes for each of the different type of fluctuations. The results show the highly complex geometrical nature of the flux, and that the local contributions associated with energy and cross-helicity non-linear transfer have similar scaling properties. Consequently, the fractal properties of current and vorticity structures are similar to those of the Alfvenic fluctuations.
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| 23. |
- Sorriso-Valvo, Luca, et al.
(författare)
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Turbulence-Driven Ion Beams in the Magnetospheric Kelvin-Helmholtz Instability
- 2019
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Ingår i: Physical Review Letters. - : AMER PHYSICAL SOC. - 0031-9007 .- 1079-7114. ; 122:3
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The description of the local turbulent energy transfer and the high-resolution ion distributions measured by the Magnetospheric Multiscale mission together provide a formidable tool to explore the cross-scale connection between the fluid-scale energy cascade and plasma processes at subion scales. When the small-scale energy transfer is dominated by Alfvenic, correlated velocity, and magnetic field fluctuations, beams of accelerated particles are more likely observed. Here, for the first time, we report observations suggesting the nonlinear wave-particle interaction as one possible mechanism for the energy dissipation in space plasmas.
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| 24. |
- Sundkvist, David, et al.
(författare)
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Dissipation in turbulent plasma due to reconnection in thin current sheets
- 2007
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Ingår i: Physical Review Letters. - 0031-9007 .- 1079-7114. ; 99:2, s. 025004-
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We present in situ measurements in a space plasma showing that thin current sheets the size of an ion inertial length exist and are abundant in strong and intermittent plasma turbulence. Many of these current sheets exhibit the microphysical signatures of reconnection. The spatial scale where intermittency occurs corresponds to the observed structures. The reconnecting current sheets represent a type of dissipation mechanism, with observed dissipation rates comparable to or even dominating over collisionless damping rates of waves at ion inertial length scales ( X 100), and can have far reaching implications for small-scale dissipation in all turbulent plasmas.
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| 25. |
- Vaivads, Andris, et al.
(författare)
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Magnetic reconnection in space plasma
- 2009
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Ingår i: Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion. - : IOP Publishing. - 0741-3335 .- 1361-6587. ; 51:12, s. 124016-
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The terrestrial magnetosphere is a natural laboratory where many important plasma processes can be studied in detail by using high-quality spacecraft measurements of electromagnetic fields and particle distribution functions over a broad range of spatial and temporal scales. One such important process is magnetic reconnection. We discuss recent results on the detailed structure of reconnection sites, on suprathermal electron energization within reconnection regions and on reconnection within turbulent plasma. Particularly we demonstrate the importance of understanding in detail processes occurring at the characteristic ion and electron scales. Our results are based on multi-spacecraft observations by the Cluster spacecraft. We also briefly discuss the need for future multi-spacecraft missions, such as MMS and Cross-Scale, to further advance the understanding of magnetic reconnection. The results obtained by using spacecraft measurements can find direct applications to laboratory plasmas as well as to plasma environments around other planets, in the solar atmosphere and solar wind and in distant astrophysical objects.
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| 26. |
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| 27. |
- Zieger, Bertalan, et al.
(författare)
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Jet front-driven mirror modes and shocklets in the near-Earth flow-braking region
- 2011
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Ingår i: Geophysical Research Letters. - 0094-8276 .- 1944-8007. ; 38, s. L22103-
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We investigate the small-scale structure of jet fronts through a case study of multi-spacecraft Cluster observations in the near-Earth flow-braking region at similar to-10 RE. We find that the interaction between the earthward moving fast plasma jet and the high-beta ambient plasma in the plasma sheet results in magnetic pileup and compression ahead of the jet and rarefaction trailing the jet. It is shown that mirror-mode structures of ion gyroradius scale develop within the pileup region due to the observed ion temperature anisotropy (T(i perpendicular to) > T(i parallel to)). We suggest that the growth of these mirror modes is driven by the perpendicular total pressure perturbation (Delta p(perpendicular to)) generated by the braking jet. When Delta p(perpendicular to) becomes too large, the mirror-mode structure cannot maintain pressure balance any longer, and consequently a shocklet is formed in the pileup region ahead of the jet front. We present the first evidence for such a kinetic shocklet in the flow-braking region.
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