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| Titel |
The location and rate of dayside reconnection during an interval of southward interplanetary magnetic field |
| VerfasserIn |
M. Pinnock, G. Chisham, I. J. Coleman, M. P. Freeman, M. Hairston, J.-P. Villain |
| 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 ; 21, no. 7 ; Nr. 21, no. 7, S.1467-1482 |
| Datensatznummer |
250014655
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| Publikation (Nr.) |
 copernicus.org/angeo-21-1467-2003.pdf |
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| Zusammenfassung |
Using ionospheric data
from the SuperDARN radar network and a DMSP satellite we obtain a comprehensive
description of the spatial and temporal pattern of day-side reconnection.
During a period of southward interplanetary magnetic field (IMF), the data are
used to determine the location of the ionospheric projection of the dayside
magnetopause reconnection X-line. From the flow of plasma across the projected
X-line, we derive the reconnection rate across 7 h of longitude and estimate it
for the total length of the X-line footprint, which was found to be 10 h of
longitude. Using the Tsyganenko 96 magnetic field model, the ionospheric data
are mapped to the magnetopause, in order to provide an estimate of the extent
of the reconnection X-line. This is found to be ~ 38 RE in extent,
spanning the whole dayside magnetopause from dawn to dusk flank. Our results
are compared with previously reported encounters by the Equator-S and Geotail
spacecraft with a reconnecting magnetopause, near the dawn flank, for the same
period. The SuperDARN observations allow the satellite data to be set in the
context of the whole magnetopause reconnection X-line. The total potential
associated with dayside reconnection was ~ 150 kV. The reconnection signatures
detected by the Equator-S satellite mapped to a region in the ionosphere
showing continuous flow across the polar cap boundary, but the reconnection
rate was variable and showed a clear spatial variation, with a distinct minimum
at 14:00 magnetic local time which was present throughout the 30-min study
period.
Key words. Magnetospheric physics
(magnetopause, cusp and boundary layers; magnetosphere-ionoshere interactions)
– Space plasma physics (magnetic reconnection) |
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