MMS Study of the Structure of Ion‐Scale Flux Ropes in the Earth's Cross‐Tail Current Sheet

Sun, W.; Slavin, J. A.; Tian, A. M.; Bai, Shaochun; Poh, Gangkai; Akhavan‐Tafti, Mojtaba; Lu, San; Yao, Shutao; Le, G.; Nakamura, R.; Giles, B. L.; Burch, J. L.

doi:10.1029/2019gl083301

Cited by 37 publications

(46 citation statements)

References 55 publications

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“…Due to the presence of helical structure inside the flux rope, the local radius of curvature of the magnetic field lines increases from 300 to 1,000 km inside the flux rope (Figure 2(c)), which is obtained by magnetic field rotation analysis (Shen et al, 2007). The observational features of the magnetic field, current density, and radius of curvature of the magnetic field lines listed above are consistent with the previous work on flux ropes (e.g., Russell & Elphic, 1979;Slavin et al, 2003;Shen et al, 2007;Zong et al, 2004;Sun et al, 2019).…”

Section: 1029/2019gl085933supporting

confidence: 89%

Ion‐Scale Flux Rope Observed inside a Hot Flow Anomaly

Bai

Shi

Liu

et al. 2020

Geophysical Research Letters

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We report an earthward moving ion‐scale flux rope embedded within the trailing edge of a hot flow anomaly (HFA) observed by the Magnetospheric Multiscale satellite constellation on 17 December 2016 upstream of Earth's quasi‐parallel bow shock. The driver of the HFA, a tangential discontinuity, was observed by the Wind spacecraft without flux rope signatures around it in the solar wind. This suggests that the earthward moving flux rope was generated inside the HFA. This ion‐scale flux rope is not a force free structure and expands due to a strong magnetic pressure gradient force. Solar wind ions are decelerated inside the flux rope by the static electric field likely caused by the charge separation of solar wind particles. Our observations imply that magnetic reconnection may have occurred inside the HFA. Reconnection and flux ropes may play a role in particle acceleration/heating inside foreshock transients.

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Section: 1029/2019gl085933supporting

confidence: 89%

Ion‐Scale Flux Rope Observed inside a Hot Flow Anomaly

Bai

Shi

Liu

et al. 2020

Geophysical Research Letters

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“…Similar events have also been reported in simulations (Haynes et al, 2015; Roytershteyn et al, 2015) and observations (Huang SY et al, 2017a, b). These structures, including recently reported kinetic‐scale flux ropes (Huang SY et al, 2016; Matsui et al, 2019; Sun WJ et al, 2019; Wang SM et al, 2019; Yao ST et al, 2020b) and kinetic‐scale magnetic dips and peaks (Hellinger and Štverák, 2018; Stawarz et al, 2018; Yao ST et al, 2018a; Hoilijoki et al, 2019), are new types of coherent structures found in turbulent plasmas, and play important roles in the cascade of turbulence from ion to electron scales (e.g., Huang J et al, 2019; Lucek et al, 2005; Karimabadi et al, 2014; Sahraoui et al, 2020; Shang WS et al, 2020). Yao ST et al (2019a) found that these KSMHs are coupled with electron cyclotron waves, electrostatic solitary waves, and whistler mode waves (Li Z et al, 2019).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 78%

Statistical properties of kinetic-scale magnetic holes in terrestrial space

Yao

Yue

Shi

et al. 2021

Earth and Planetary Physics

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Most KSMHs are locally generated in the magnetosheath, rather than advected with the solar wind. q KSMHs are more likely to be generated downstream of the quasi-parallel shock, indicating the importance of turbulence in their generation. q The scale-size of KSMHs is smaller near the subsolar magnetosheath than along the flanks, indicating they may be affected by the magnetosheath pressure environment.

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“…The mean Φ FTE was ~0.028 MWb for both showers (Figure 1o), which is comparable to the values obtained in previous studies of Mercury's dayside FTEs (see, Slavin, Lepping, et al, 2010). We could satisfactorily model only a fraction of FTE‐type FRs, which could imply that many of them were in their early stages and still contained enough plasma to affect their structure (see also Priest, 1990; Sun et al, 2019). The mean duration of magnetic flux loading‐unloading event is determined to be 212 s with the loading duration of 115 s ( T load ) (e.g., Imber & Slavin, 2017; Slavin, Anderson, et al, 2010; Sun et al, 2015).…”

Section: Flux Transfer Event Showersmentioning

confidence: 99%

Flux Transfer Event Showers at Mercury: Dependence on Plasma β and Magnetic Shear and Their Contribution to the Dungey Cycle

Sun

Slavin

Smith

et al. 2020

Geophysical Research Letters

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Mercury's flux transfer event (FTE) showers are dayside magnetopause crossings accompanied by large numbers (≥10) of magnetic flux ropes (FRs). These shower events are common, occurring during 52% (1,953/3,748) of the analyzed crossings. Shower events are observed with magnetic shear angles (θ) from 0°to 180°across the magnetopause and magnetosheath plasma β from 0.1 to 10 but are most prevalent for high θ and low plasma β. Individual FR duration correlates positively, while spacing correlates negatively, with θ and plasma β. FR flux content and core magnetic field intensity correlate negatively with plasma β, but they do not correlate with θ. During shower intervals, FRs carry 60% to 85% of the magnetic flux required to supply Mercury's Dungey cycle. The FTE showers and the large amount of magnetic flux carried by the FTE-type FRs appear quite different from observations at Earth and other planetary magnetospheres visited thus far. Plain Language Summary Any planet with an interior dynamo will interact with the outward streaming stellar wind and likely form a magnetosphere. The magnetopause is a boundary between the shocked solar wind and planetary magnetic field, which can prevent most of the solar wind from directly entering into the magnetosphere. The multiple X-line reconnection that frequently occurs in the magnetopause creates helical magnetic fields that are termed magnetic flux ropes (FRs) about which open and interplanetary magnetic fields drape. FTE-type FRs generally have magnetic field lines with one end embedded in the solar wind and the other end connected to the planet through the magnetospheric cusp. The investigation of FTEs in Mercury's magnetosphere is of particular interest because they often occur in large numbers with extremely small temporal spacing, i.e., FTE showers, that are not seen elsewhere. We find that the properties of the FTE-type flux ropes in these showers depend upon plasma β in the magnetosheath and the magnetic shear angle across the magnetopause. The magnetic flux carried by these flux ropes dominates magnetic flux transfer between Mercury's dayside and nightside magnetosphere. These new results may contribute significantly to our understanding of solar wind-magnetosphere-exosphere coupling at Mercury.

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MMS Study of the Structure of Ion‐Scale Flux Ropes in the Earth's Cross‐Tail Current Sheet

Cited by 37 publications

References 55 publications

Ion‐Scale Flux Rope Observed inside a Hot Flow Anomaly

Ion‐Scale Flux Rope Observed inside a Hot Flow Anomaly

Statistical properties of kinetic-scale magnetic holes in terrestrial space

Flux Transfer Event Showers at Mercury: Dependence on Plasma β and Magnetic Shear and Their Contribution to the Dungey Cycle

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