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| Titel |
Separatrix regions of magnetic reconnection at the magnetopause |
| VerfasserIn |
T. Lindstedt, Yu. V. Khotyaintsev, A. Vaivads, M. André, R. C. Fear, B. Lavraud, S. Haaland, C. J. Owen |
| Medientyp |
Artikel
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| Sprache |
Englisch
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| ISSN |
0992-7689
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| Digitales Dokument |
URL |
| Erschienen |
In: Annales Geophysicae ; 27, no. 10 ; Nr. 27, no. 10 (2009-10-26), S.4039-4056 |
| Datensatznummer |
250016690
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| Publikation (Nr.) |
 copernicus.org/angeo-27-4039-2009.pdf |
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| Zusammenfassung |
| Using data from the four Cluster spacecraft we study the separatrix regions
of magnetic reconnection sites at the dayside magnetopause under conditions
when reconnection is occurring in the magnetopause current layer which
separates magnetosheath plasma from the hot magnetospheric plasma sheet. We
define the separatrix region as the region between the separatrix – the
first field line opened by reconnection – and the reconnection jet (outflow
region). We analyze eight separatrix region crossings on the magnetospheric
side of the magnetopause and present detailed data for two of the events. We
show that characteristic widths of the separatrix regions are of the order of
ten ion inertial lengths at the magnetopause. Narrow separatrix regions with
widths comparable to a few ion inertial lengths are rare. We show that inside
the separatrix region there is a density cavity which sometimes has complex
internal structure with multiple density dips. Strong electric fields exist
inside the separatrix regions and the electric potential drop across the
regions can be up to several kV. On the magnetosheath side of the region
there is a density gradient with strong field aligned currents. The observed
strong electric fields and currents inside the separatrix region can be
important for a local energization of ions and electrons, particularly of
ionospheric origin, as well as for magnetosphere-ionosphere coupling. |
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