Magnetic Reconnection Exhausts and Magnetic Flux Rope Structures in the Solar Wind: Spatial Scales at 1 AU and Heliosheath at 100 AU
Abstract
Whether magnetic reconnection occurs at widely separated single X-lines in solar wind current sheets, or via more closely spaced multiple X-lines that form in-situ magnetic flux ropes, is a topic of great importance for our understanding of solar wind structure; both at 1 AU and beyond. Some studies suggest that reconnection of the sector magnetic field can result in complex structure within the heliosheath, and across the heliopause, which may allow a mixing of interstellar and solar matter (Swisdak et al. 2013). If such predictions are correct, what set of time-cadence requirements do we need from plasma and magnetic field instruments aboard an Interstellar Probe to begin to resolve reconnection exhausts and associated magnetic structures in the heliosheath and heliopause? We first present new 1 AU observations of exhausts and discuss associated magnetic structures at small scales <100 di, and large scales >500 di (1 di=c/wpi is the ion inertial length). We then discuss some instrument options at heliosheath distances under the assumption that local current sheets evolve at similar ion scales. In particular, we address what object sizes Interstellar Probe can resolve at 10 s cadence, and 60 s cadence.
- Publication:
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AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- December 2019
- Bibcode:
- 2019AGUFMSH51E3322E
- Keywords:
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- 2124 Heliopause and solar wind termination;
- INTERPLANETARY PHYSICS;
- 2126 Heliosphere/interstellar medium interactions;
- INTERPLANETARY PHYSICS;
- 6224 Kuiper belt objects;
- PLANETARY SCIENCES: SOLAR SYSTEM OBJECTS;
- 7599 General or miscellaneous;
- SOLAR PHYSICS;
- ASTROPHYSICS;
- AND ASTRONOMY