Super-Alfvénic Propagation of Substorm Reconnection Signatures and Poynting Flux
Abstract
The propagation of reconnection signatures and their associated energy are examined using kinetic particle-in-cell simulations and Cluster satellite observations. It is found that the quadrupolar out-of-plane magnetic field near the separatrices is associated with a kinetic Alfvén wave. For magnetotail parameters, the parallel propagation of this wave is super-Alfvénic (V∥∼1500-5500km/s) and generates substantial Poynting flux (S∼10-5-10-4W/m2) consistent with Cluster observations of magnetic reconnection. This Poynting flux substantially exceeds that due to frozen-in ion bulk outflows and is sufficient to generate white light aurora in Earth’s ionosphere.
- Publication:
-
Physical Review Letters
- Pub Date:
- August 2011
- DOI:
- arXiv:
- arXiv:1104.0922
- Bibcode:
- 2011PhRvL.107f5001S
- Keywords:
-
- 94.30.cp;
- 52.35.Vd;
- 94.30.cl;
- 96.60.Iv;
- Magnetic reconnection;
- Magnetotail;
- Physics - Plasma Physics;
- Physics - Space Physics
- E-Print:
- Submitted to PRL on 11/1/2010. Resubmitted on 4/5/2011