Impact of foreshock turbulence on magnetopause reconnection and ionosphere

Upstream of the quasi-parallel bow shock, reflected ions interacting with the incoming solar wind excite ultra-low frequency (ULF) waves, and this interaction has far reaching impacts on the magnetosheath, magnetopause, and ionosphere. Using observations and simulations, we investigate the formation of ULF pulsations with enhanced densities and magnetic field in the foreshock, and study the impact of these pulsations on the magnetopause, cusp, and ionosphere. For example, we find that foreshock turbulence induces planet-sized indentations at the magnetopause, jams solar plasmas into the cusp, triggers magnetopause reconnection, and/or modulates the reconnection rate when the interplanetary magnetic field is primarily Sun-Earth aligned. We discuss how these effects are applicable to other magnetospheres, such as the induced magnetosphere of Mars, and the potential contribution to dayside loss of planetary plasmas.