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- Hobara, Y., et al.
(author)
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Cluster observations of electrostatic solitary waves near the Earth's bow shock
- 2008
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In: Journal of Geophysical Research. - 0148-0227 .- 2156-2202. ; 113:A5, s. A05211-
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Using a period of internal burst mode data from the Cluster Electric Field and Wave instrument a number of electrostatic solitary structures have been identified in the foot region of Earth's quasi-perpendicular bow shock. The four individual probe potential measurements are utilized to investigate the fundamental characteristics of the solitary wave structures such as wave propagation vector, propagation velocity, scale-size and potential amplitude. Two classes of waves are observed. Bipolar solitary waves typically propagate in the solar wind direction toward the shock but at a significant angle from the ambient magnetic field. Unipolar/tripolar solitary waves tend to propagate along the ambient magnetic field. The wave amplitude-scale size relation is similar to that obtained for similar structures observed in the auroral zone. The structures lie in the theoretically allowed region in width-amplitude space to be consistent with the BGK ion holes. Using a period of internal burst mode data from the Cluster Electric Field and Wave instrument a number of electrostatic solitary structures have been identified in the foot region of Earth's quasi-perpendicular bow shock. The four individual probe potential measurements are utilized to investigate the fundamental characteristics of the solitary wave structures such as wave propagation vector, propagation velocity, scale-size and potential amplitude. Two classes of waves are observed. Bipolar solitary waves typically propagate in the solar wind direction toward the shock but at a significant angle to the ambient magnetic field in contrast to most previous studies which assume parallel propagation to the ambient magnetic field. In contrast, unipolar/tripolar solitary waves tend to propagate along the ambient magnetic field. The wave amplitude-scale size relation is similar to that obtained for structures observed in the auroral zone. The structures lie in the theoretically allowed region in width-amplitude space to be consistent with the BGK (Bernstein-Greene-Kruskal) ion holes. The two classes of observed solitary waves may greatly influence the ambient plasma dynamics around the shock. The bipolar solitary waves do not exhibit a large net potential difference but may still play an important role in plasma thermalisation by particle scattering. Unipolar/tripolar solitary waves exhibit a remarkable net potential difference that may be responsible for the plasma energisation along the ambient magnetic field.
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- Retino, A., et al.
(author)
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Cluster observations of energetic electrons and electromagnetic fields within a reconnecting thin current sheet in the Earth's magnetotail
- 2008
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In: Journal of Geophysical Research. - 0148-0227 .- 2156-2202. ; 113:A12
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We study the acceleration of energetic electrons during magnetotail reconnection by using Cluster simultaneous measurements of three-dimensional electron distribution functions, electric and magnetic fields, and waves in a thin current sheet. We present observations of two consecutive current sheet crossings where the flux of electrons 35 127 keV peaks within an interval of tailward flows. The first crossing shows the signatures of a tailward moving flux rope. The observed magnetic field and density indicate that the flux rope was very dynamic, and a comparison with numerical simulation suggests a crossing right after coalescence of smaller flux ropes. The second crossing occurs within the ion diffusion region. The flux of electrons is largest within the flux rope where they are mainly directed perpendicular to the magnetic field. At the magnetic separatrices, the fluxes are smaller, but the energy spectra are harder and electrons are mainly field aligned. Reconnection electric fields E-Y similar to 7 mV/m are observed within the diffusion region, whereas in the flux rope, EY are much smaller. Waves around lower hybrid frequency do not show a clear correlation with energetic electrons. We interpret the field-aligned electrons at the separatrices as directly accelerated by the reconnection electric field in the diffusion region, whereas we interpret the perpendicular electrons as trapped within the flux rope and accelerated by a combination of betatron acceleration with nonadiabatic pitch-angle scattering. Our observations indicate that thin current sheets during dynamic reconnection are important for in situ production of energetic electrons and that simultaneous measurements of electrons and electromagnetic fields within thin sheets are crucial to understand the acceleration mechanisms.
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