Observation of Two Slow Shocks Associated with Magnetic Reconnection Exhausts in the Interplanetary Space

Feng, H. Q.; Li, Qiu-Huan; Wang, Jiemin; Zhao, Guoqing

doi:10.1007/s11207-017-1083-6

Cited by 7 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 48 publications

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“…This is a demonstration that at least a portion of multiple ion populations in the solar wind is produced locally by magnetic reconnection. Since then, among the numerous studies of magnetic reconnection in the solar wind (e.g., Phan et al 2006;Davis et al 2006;Lavraud et al 2009;Tian et al 2010;Feng et al 2011;Xu et al 2011;Enžl et al 2014;Mistry et al 2017;Feng et al 2017;He et al 2018;Eastwood et al 2018;Khabarova et al 2021), none specifically studied the presence of multiple nearthermal proton populations, apart from Huttunen et al (2008) who showed secondary proton enhancements consistent with a beam in the vicinity of the separatrix (a fact also reported here).…”

Section: Introductionsupporting

confidence: 50%

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Magnetic reconnection as a mechanism to produce multiple thermal proton populations and beams locally in the solar wind

Lavraud

Kieokaew

Fargette

et al. 2021

A&A

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Context. Spacecraft data revealed early on the frequent observation of multiple near-thermal proton populations in the solar wind. Decades of research on their origin have focused on processes such as magnetic reconnection in the low corona and wave-particle interactions in the corona and locally in the solar wind. Aims. This study aims to highlight the fact that such multiple thermal proton populations and beams are also produced by magnetic reconnection occurring locally in the solar wind. Methods. We used high-resolution Solar Orbiter proton velocity distribution function measurements, complemented by electron and magnetic field data, to analyze the association of multiple thermal proton populations and beams with magnetic reconnection during a period of slow Alfvénic solar wind on 16 July 2020. Results. At least six reconnecting current sheets with associated multiple thermal proton populations and beams, including a case of magnetic reconnection at a switchback boundary, were found on this day. This represents 2% of the measured distribution functions. We discuss how this proportion may be underestimated, and how it may depend on solar wind type and distance from the Sun. Conclusions. Although suggesting a likely small contribution, but which remains to be quantitatively assessed, Solar Orbiter observations show that magnetic reconnection must be considered as one of the mechanisms that produce multiple thermal proton populations and beams locally in the solar wind.

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Section: Introductionsupporting

confidence: 50%

“…Aunai et al 2011;Eastwood et al 2015;Innocenti et al 2017). For solar wind configurations, complex reconnection exhaust boundaries have been observed and modeled (e.g., Huttunen et al 2008;Lavraud et al 2009;Innocenti et al 2017;Feng et al 2017;Enžl et al 2017;He et al 2018).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Magnetic reconnection as a mechanism to produce multiple thermal proton populations and beams locally in the solar wind

Lavraud

Kieokaew

Fargette

et al. 2021

A&A

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Since then, among the numerous studies of magnetic reconnection in the solar wind (e.g. Phan et al 2006;Davis et al 2006;Lavraud et al 2009;Tian et al 2010;Feng et al 2011;Xu et al 2011;Enžl et al 2014;Mistry et al 2017;Feng et al 2017;He et al 2018;Eastwood et al 2018;Khabarova et al 2021), none have focused on the multiple proton population aspect apart from Huttunen et al (2008), who observed secondary proton enhancements consistent with a beam in the vicinity of the separatrix (a fact also reported here).…”

Section: Introductionsupporting

confidence: 61%

“…boundaries have been observed and modeled (e.g. Huttunen et al 2008;Lavraud et al 2009;Innocenti et al 2017;Feng et al 2017;Enžl et al 2017;He et al 2018).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Magnetic reconnection as a mechanism to produce multiple protonpopulations and beams locally in the solar wind

Lavraud,

Kieokaew,

Fargette

et al. 2021

Preprint

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Context. Spacecraft observations early revealed frequent multiple proton populations in the solar wind. Decades of research on their origin have focused on processes such as magnetic reconnection in the low corona and wave-particle interactions in the corona and locally in the solar wind. Aims. This study aims to highlight that multiple proton populations and beams are also produced by magnetic reconnection occurring locally in the solar wind. Methods. We use high resolution Solar Orbiter proton velocity distribution function measurements, complemented by electron and magnetic field data, to analyze the association of multiple proton populations and beams with magnetic reconnection during a period of slow Alfvénic solar wind on 16 July 2020. Results. At least 6 reconnecting current sheets with associated multiple proton populations and beams, including a case of magnetic reconnection at a switchback boundary, are found during this day. This represents 2% of the measured distribution functions. We discuss how this proportion may be underestimated, and how it may depend on solar wind type and distance from the Sun. Conclusions. Although suggesting a likely small contribution, but which remains to be quantitatively assessed, Solar Orbiter observations show that magnetic reconnection must be considered as one of the mechanisms that produce multiple proton populations and beams locally in the solar wind.

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“…Very few slow shocks in the interplanetary space are observed directly associated with magnetic reconnection (H. Feng et al., 2017; Zhou et al., 2018), but signatures of magnetic reconnection have been found in the ambient solar wind of the detected slow shocks (Zuo et al., 2006). Observations of a compound structure composed of a slow shock layer and an adjoining rotational discontinuity layer on the postshock side, which is a typical feature of the Petschek reconnection exhaust, have also been reported at 1 Astronomical unit (AU) (Whang, Zhou, et al., 1998; Zuo & Feng, 2007).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

PSP Observations of a Slow Shock Pair Bounding a Large‐Scale Plasmoid/Macro Magnetic Hole

Zhou

Zuo

et al. 2022

Geophysical Research Letters

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Slow shocks are introduced to be the main dissipation sites in Petschek reconnection model, but they are seldom observed in interplanetary space. We report a slow shock pair bounding a plasmoid/macro magnetic hole observed by Parker Solar Probe. The jump conditions across the shocks are examined and confirmed to satisfy the Rankine‐Hugoniot relations. The flow speed in the preshock and postshock regions of both shocks match up with the characteristics of slow shocks. The slow shock pair is suggested to be a part of a curved slow shock bounding the plasmoid produced by magnetic reconnection. Our findings append a new dissipation site to the picture of energy conversion through solar wind magnetic reconnection. In addition, the results suggest that plasmoids emitted by local magnetic reconnections could be a possible origin of macro magnetic holes in the solar wind.

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Observation of Two Slow Shocks Associated with Magnetic Reconnection Exhausts in the Interplanetary Space

Cited by 7 publications

References 48 publications

Magnetic reconnection as a mechanism to produce multiple thermal proton populations and beams locally in the solar wind

Magnetic reconnection as a mechanism to produce multiple thermal proton populations and beams locally in the solar wind

Magnetic reconnection as a mechanism to produce multiple protonpopulations and beams locally in the solar wind

PSP Observations of a Slow Shock Pair Bounding a Large‐Scale Plasmoid/Macro Magnetic Hole

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