A survey of KHI activity at the magnetopause
Abstract
The Kelvin Helmholtz Instability can drive waves at the magnetopause. These waves can grow to form rolled up vortices and facilitate transfer of plasma into the magnetosphere. Using a method previously presented by Hasegawa et al., 2006, we present a survey of all Double Star 1 magnetopause crossings that display characteristics of rolled up vortices, using a combination of ion and magnetic field measurements. Candidate events were identified as quasi-periodic fluctuations in the transition region between magnetospheric and magnetosheath like plasma accompanied by a persistent northward oriented magnetic field with low shear across the boundary. We find a dawn dusk asymmetry and difference in local time occurrence of these events. This work is being carried out as part of an International Space Science Institute (ISSI) working group examining multi-spacecraft conjunctions and their utility in examining the behaviour of the dayside magnetopause and flanks under various driving conditions.
- Publication:
-
AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- December 2011
- Bibcode:
- 2011AGUFMSM51B2060T
- Keywords:
-
- 2724 MAGNETOSPHERIC PHYSICS / Magnetopause and boundary layers;
- 2740 MAGNETOSPHERIC PHYSICS / Magnetospheric configuration and dynamics;
- 7836 SPACE PLASMA PHYSICS / MHD waves and instabilities