Kelvin-Helmholtz waves at Earth's magnetopause triggered by Flux Transfer Events (Invited)

Kelvin-Helmholtz (KH) waves and Flux Transfer Events (FTEs) are usually considered distinct phenomena occurring at Earth's magnetopause. A survey targeted at KH waves in THEMIS data near the flank magnetopause turned up cases that were difficult to classify and seemed to have characteristics of both KH waves and FTEs. One event in particular, on January 2, 2011, showed highly periodic magnetopause motion, but at a longer period than commonly observed for KH waves, yet with SW/IMF conditions that are typically conducive for KH waves. The magnetic field was characterized by short bipolar pulses in the magnetopause normal direction, which would be typical for FTEs. OpenGGCM simulations reproduced these structures and show that they originate on the dayside as FTEs. However, as they travel along the magnetopause, they appear to trigger KH waves that grow to very large (several RE) amplitude. We will discuss details of these waves and consequences for the transport of solar wind plasma into the magnetotail.