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Titel |
Magnetopause reconnection across wide local time |
VerfasserIn |
M. W. Dunlop, Q.-H. Zhang, Y. V. Bogdanova, K. J. Trattner, Z. Pu, H. Hasegawa, J. Berchem, M. G. G. T. Taylor, M. Volwerk, J. P. Eastwood, B. Lavraud, C. Shen, J.-K. Shi, J. Wang, D. Constantinescu, A. N. Fazakerley, H. Frey, D. Sibeck, P. Escoubet, J. A. Wild, Z. X. Liu, C. Carr |
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 ; 29, no. 9 ; Nr. 29, no. 9 (2011-09-29), S.1683-1697 |
Datensatznummer |
250017098
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Publikation (Nr.) |
copernicus.org/angeo-29-1683-2011.pdf |
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Zusammenfassung |
During April to July 2007 a combination of 10 spacecraft provided
simultaneous monitoring of the dayside magnetopause across a wide range of
local times. The array of four Cluster spacecraft, separated at large
distances (10 000 km), were traversing the dawn-side magnetopause at high
and low latitudes; the five THEMIS spacecraft were often in a 4 + 1 grouped
configuration, traversing the low latitude, dusk-side magnetosphere, and the
Double star, TC-1 spacecraft was in an equatorial orbit between the local
times of the THEMIS and Cluster orbits. We show here a number of near
simultaneous conjunctions of all 10 spacecraft at the magnetopause. One
conjunction identifies an extended magnetic reconnection X-line, tilted in
the low latitude, sub-solar region, which exists together with active
anti-parallel reconnection sites extending to locations on the dawn-side
flank. Oppositely moving FTE's are observed on all spacecraft, consistent
with the initially strong IMF By conditions and the comparative locations of
the spacecraft both dusk-ward and dawn-ward of noon. Comparison with other
conjunctions of magnetopause crossings, which are also distributed over wide
local times, supports the result that reconnection activity may occur at
many sites simultaneously across the sub-solar and flank magnetopause, but
linked to the large scale (extended) configuration of the merging line;
broadly depending on IMF orientation. The occurrence of MR therefore
inherently follows a "component" driven scenario irrespective of the guide
field conditions. Some conjunctions allow the global magnetopause response
to IMF changes to be observed and the distribution of spacecraft can
directly confirm its shape, motion and deformation at local noon, dawn and
dusk-side, simultaneously. |
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