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| Titel |
Does High-Speed Plasma Sheet Flux Transport Contribute to Inner Magnetosphere Dipolarisation? : A Multi Year, Multi-Mission, Multi-Spacecraft, Multi-Instrument Statistical Study |
| VerfasserIn |
R. Duthie, A. Fazakerley, C. Forsyth, A. Walsh, I. Dandouras, E. Lucek, T. Zhang |
| Konferenz |
EGU General Assembly 2012
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| Medientyp |
Artikel
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| Sprache |
Englisch
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| Digitales Dokument |
PDF |
| Erschienen |
In: GRA - Volume 14 (2012) |
| Datensatznummer |
250058665
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| Zusammenfassung |
| Advancement in solar-terrestrial science is more easily achieved through the use of
multi-point and multi-mission measurement over single spacecraft methods. Multi-spacecraft
observations can be used to address long standing questions regarding the connection
between separated regions of the Earth’s magnetosphere as well as help define observed
phenomena with more clarity. One such long standing question relates to the relationship
between widespread dipolarisation of the inner magnetosphere and the observable
phenomenon of earthward fast flows in the tail plasma sheet (often termed “bursty bulk
flows”, or BBFs). The former is associated with the substorm expansion phase
and the latter can be associated with reconnection at the near-Earth neutral line
(NENL).
We used all four Cluster spacecraft, in a multi-spacecraft configuration, to detect fast
flows in the magnetotail plasma sheet region. The flows were measured using a
multi-instrument approach, implementing ExB drift velocity data where 3D electric field data
could be reliably reconstructed from the available 2D measurements, and particle instrument
data at other times. Inter-calibration was performed using statistical methods. In addition to
the Cluster fast flow detections, we used both Double Star spacecraft, when available, to
detect reconfiguration of the magnetic field earthwards of the position of Cluster in the
plasma sheet. Moreover, we made use of the Frey & Mende (2006) substorm onset list,
compiled from data collected by the IMAGE mission, to relate observations of the tail to
substorm phase. These multi-mission data were gathered from the ’tail season’ intervals of
2004 & 2005. This multi-year period was chosen as they were the times when the
conjunctions between Cluster & Double Star were favourable in the tail and the
IMAGE mission was actively observing substorm onset signatures in Earth’s auroral
regions.
We discuss our methods and report on progress. |
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