| 1. |
- Lui, A. T. Y., et al.
(författare)
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Breakdown of the frozen-in condition in the Earth's magnetotail
- 2007
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Ingår i: Journal of Geophysical Research. - 0148-0227 .- 2156-2202. ; 112:A4, s. A04215-
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- [1] We investigate in detail the breakdown of the frozen-in condition detected by Cluster at the downstream distance of similar to 19 R-E in the midnight sector of the magnetotail during a substorm expansion on 22 August 2001. It is found that the breakdown occurred ( 1) in a low-density environment with moderate to large proton plasma flow and significant fluctuations in electric and magnetic fields, ( 2) in regions with predominantly dissipation but occasionally dynamo effect, and ( 3) at times simultaneously at two Cluster satellites separated by more than 1000 km in both X- and Z-directions. Evaluation of the terms in the generalized Ohm's law indicates that the anomalous resistivity contribution arising from field fluctuations during this event is the most significant, followed by the Hall, electron viscosity, and inertial contributions in descending order of importance. This result demonstrates for the first time from observations that anomalous resistivity from field fluctuations ( implying kinetic instabilities) can play a substantial role in the breakdown of the frozen-in condition in the magnetotail during substorm expansions. Consideration of several observed features in the breakdown regions indicates that the breakdown occurs in a turbulent site resembling observed features found in current disruption and dipolarization sites.
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| 2. |
- Lui, A. T. Y., et al.
(författare)
-
Cluster observation of plasma flow reversal in the magnetotail during a substorm
- 2006
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Ingår i: Annales Geophysicae. - 0992-7689 .- 1432-0576. ; 24:7, s. 2005-2013
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We investigate in detail a reversal of plasma flow from tailward to earthward detected by Cluster at the downstream distance of similar to 19 RE in the midnight sector of the magnetotail on 22 August 2001. This flow reversal was accompanied by a sign reversal of the B-z component and occurred during the late substorm expansion phase as revealed by simultaneous global view of auroral activity from IMAGE. We examine the associated Hall current system signature, current density, electric field, Lorentz force, and current dissipation/dynamo term, the last two parameters being new features that have not been studied previously for plasma flow reversals. It is found that (1) there was no clear quadrupole Hall current system signature organized by the flow reversal time, (2) the x-component of the Lorentz force did not change sign while the other two did, (3) the timing sequence of flow reversal from the Cluster configuration did not match tailward motion of a single plasma flow source, (4) the electric field was occasionally dawnward, producing a dynamo effect, and (5) the electric field was occasionally larger at the high-latitude plasma sheet than near the neutral sheet. These observations are consistent with the current disruption model for substorms in which these disturbances are due to shifting dominance of multiple current disruption sites and turbulence at the observing location.
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| 3. |
- Lui, A. T. Y., et al.
(författare)
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Evaluation of substorm models with Cluster observations of plasma flow reversal in the magnetotail
- 2008
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Ingår i: Advances in Space Research. - : Elsevier BV. - 0273-1177 .- 1879-1948. ; 41:10, s. 1611-1618
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We evaluate two prevailing substorm, models with an event of plasma flow reversal from tailward to Earthward detected by Cluster at the downstream distance of similar to 19 R-E in the magnetotail during a substorm. oil August 22, 2001. We use the unique capability of Cluster measurements in determining gradients to examine the associated current density, Lorentz force, and current dissipation/dynamo term. In association with plasma flow reversal, it is found that (1) there was no clear quadrupole magnetic perturbation signature, (2) the x-component of the Lorentz force did not change sign, (3) the y-component of the product of the current density and the electric field was occasionally negative indicative of a dynamo effect, and (4) the timing sequence of flow reversal from the Cluster configuration did not match tailward motion of a single plasma flow source. These observations are consistent with the near-Earth initiation model for substorms with multiple current disruption sites moving progressively tailward near the late stage of substorm expansion.
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| 4. |
- Lui, A. T. Y., et al.
(författare)
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Prelude to THEMIS tail conjunction study
- 2007
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Ingår i: Annales Geophysicae. - 0992-7689 .- 1432-0576. ; 25:4, s. 1001-1009
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- A close conjunction of several satellites (LANL, GOES. Polar. Geotail, and Cluster) distributed from the geostationary altitude to about 16 R-E downstream in the tail occurred during substorm activity as indicated by global auroral imaging and ground-based magnetometer data. This constellation of satellites resembles what is planned for the THEMIS (Time History of Events and Macroscopic Interactions during Substorms) mission to resolve the substorm controversy on the location of the substorm expansion onset region. In this article, we show in detail the dipolarization and dynamic changes seen by these satellites associated with two onsets of substorm intensification activity. In particular, we find that dipolarization at similar to 16 R-E downstream in the tail can occur with dawnward electric field and without plasma flow, just like some near-Earth dipolarization events reported previously. The spreading of substorm disturbances in the tail coupled with complementary ground observations indicates that the observed time sequence on the onsets of substorm disturbances favors initiation in the near-Earth region for this THEMIS-like conjunction.
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