Study of reconnection events through Global MHD simulation and observational data

Magnetic reconnection is the dominant mechanism for solar wind energy and momentum transfer to the magnetosphere. It can be a continuous or a transient process. Time-varying reconnection produces flux transfer events (FTEs) which can be identified by bipolar signatures in the component of the magnetic field normal to the magnetopause, deflections in the component tangential, and variations in the magnetic field magnitude. Some events exhibit the mixed magnetospheric and magnetosheath plasma populations expected for reconnection. Global magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) simulations are important tools to understand the relevant magnetic reconnection mechanisms. We have identified magnetic reconnection events, especially FTEs, in global MHD simulations and observations. We study their spatial and temporal characteristics as a function of solar wind parameters, in particular the interplanetary magnetic field orientation. We determine the origin of FTEs as well as the properties that describe them such as their dimension, extent and motion as a function of time. In particular, we track the motion of FTEs in an attempt to determine their point of origin, their destination, and how fast they move.