THEMIS Observation of Reverse FTEs
Abstract
The magnetic reconnection is essentially a topological magnetic field restructuring process caused by connectivity changes of the magnetic field lines. This change allows the release of the magnetic energy, which is transformed into the dominant source of free energy in plasma. The research of magnetic reconnection process enables us to understand a fundamental plasma process in a large variety of plasma environments. The flux transfer events (FTEs) are a direct result of magnetic reconnection that occurs in the dayside magnetopause. It is believed that these flux tubes act as portals of entry of particles and consequently of the energy of the solar wind/magnetosphere. In this work we analyzed magnetic field variations and plasma parameters for two FTEs observed by THEMIS satellite on June 17, 2007 where all the probes were in the post-noon and southern hemisphere, and they were inside the magnetosphere, except for THEMIS A. The THEMIS C, D, E magnetometers observed two bipolar variations in the normal boundary component (Bn) together with a variation of the total magnetic field (Bt). We observed a flow speed increase in the FTEs cores, accompanied with an increase of the magnetic and plasma pressures. The reverse polarity of Bn indicates that FTEs were moving southward. Further, for these FTEs we found an opposite sense of variation in Bm, as observed by THEMIS C and D with respect to THEMIS E. We try to explain these features using a simple FTE model.
- Publication:
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AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- December 2011
- Bibcode:
- 2011AGUFMSM51B2067S
- Keywords:
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- 2784 MAGNETOSPHERIC PHYSICS / Solar wind/magnetosphere interactions