Observations of suprathermal particle acceleration in Earth's magnetosheath
Abstract
Spacecraft observations have shown the presence of a suprathermal population of protons and electrons in the solar wind plasma. This has been observed in the pristine solar wind across the heliosphere, but has also been found to persist through Earth's bow-shock and into the turbulent magnetosheath. These populations have their origins in the pristine solar wind, however, both the bow-shock and the strong turbulence of the magnetosheath can be sites of suprathermal particle acceleration. Several different particle energization mechanisms have been observed to occur in the magnetosheath, downstream of the bow-shock. The MMS mission has been able to provide observations of both protons and electrons at a very high resolution, permitting the study of the distribution of suprathermal populations and their evolution. We present results of observations by the MMS spacecraft in this region examining the efficiency of these processes and whether they have a significant effect in energizing the solar wind plasma. Specifically, we investigate the characteristics of the suprathermal populations of protons and electrons observed in the magnetosheath, and how do they vary in the different areas of the magnetosheath and try to determine where does the suprathermal energization occur and what mechanisms are consistent with the observed suprathermal distributions. Investigating the origin and evolution of this suprathermal population is important in obtaining a better understanding of the different acceleration mechanisms and their impact on the magnetosphere.
- Publication:
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AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- December 2020
- Bibcode:
- 2020AGUFMSH020..11C
- Keywords:
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- 2134 Interplanetary magnetic fields;
- INTERPLANETARY PHYSICS;
- 2149 MHD waves and turbulence;
- INTERPLANETARY PHYSICS;
- 2164 Solar wind plasma;
- INTERPLANETARY PHYSICS;
- 7827 Kinetic and MHD theory;
- SPACE PLASMA PHYSICS;
- 7839 Nonlinear phenomena;
- SPACE PLASMA PHYSICS;
- 7863 Turbulence;
- SPACE PLASMA PHYSICS