Vorticity Within Bursty Bulk Flows : Convective Versus Kinetic

• Based on four-point Magnetospheric Multiscale observation, we carefully analyze the vorticity field in the course of a reconnection jet on 27 June 2017. In this event, the convective electric field (E-c) is overwhelmed by the kinetic electric field (E-k). Accordingly, the omega-field in the course of the BBF is dominated by kinetic vorticity (omega(k)). The omega-field in the E-k-dominated bursty bulk flow (BBF) is characterized by perpendicular anisotropy. Comparison of velocity-curl vorticity (omega= backward difference xV $\mathbf{\omega }=\nabla \times \mathbf{V}$) with E/B induced vorticity confirms a greater contribution to the BBF vorticity by E (omega E=(B. backward difference )E/B2 ${\mathbf{\omega }}_{\mathbf{E}}=(\mathbf{B}\cdot \nabla )\boldsymbol{E}/{\boldsymbol{B}}<^>{2}$) than by B (omega B=(E. backward difference )B/B2 ${\mathbf{\omega }}_{\mathbf{B}}=(\mathbf{E}\cdot \nabla )\mathbf{B}/{\boldsymbol{B}}<^>{2}$). Power spectrum density reveals that in the E-k-dominated BBF, the E-c and E-k spectra have different power laws. E-c dominates the B-spectrum while E-k dominates the E-spectrum. The E-c(B) spectrum has a -5/3-like slope below 0.25 Hz but a -3-like above 0.25 Hz. The E-k(E) spectrum is -5/3-like at the low-frequency end (below 0.1 Hz) but -2-like at the high-frequency end (above 2 Hz). Within its medium frequency range, the spectrum is flat. Particularly, the E-k(E) spectrum exhibits the bump at 1-2 Hz in the frequency domain. The solitary/bipolar E-spikes, with typical temporal scale of 0.3-1 s, are likely responsible for the E-bump. Finally, we statistically analyze and compare the vorticity field in E-k-dominated and E-c -dominated BBFs. The result demonstrates that the E-k-dominated BBF tends to have stronger vorticity than the E-c -dominated BBF.

Subject headings

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Fysik -- Astronomi, astrofysik och kosmologi (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Physical Sciences -- Astronomy, Astrophysics and Cosmology (hsv//eng)

Keyword

kinetic vorticity

convective vorticity

BBF

kinetic E

convective E

eddy turbulence

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)