Properties of Near-Earth Magnetic Reconnection from In-Situ Observations

Fuselier, S. A.; Lewis, W. S.

doi:10.1007/s11214-011-9820-x

Cited by 77 publications

(52 citation statements)

References 92 publications

(139 reference statements)

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“…where B MP is the magnitude of the magnetic field immediately inside the magnetopause current layer (DiBraccio et al, 2013;Fuselier & Lewis, 2011;Sonnerup et al, 1981), is provided in ninth column from the left in Table 1.…”

Section: Messenger Magnetometer and Fips Observations Of Hcm Eventsmentioning

confidence: 99%

MESSENGER Observations and Global Simulations of Highly Compressed Magnetosphere Events at Mercury

et al. 2019

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We identify and examine all MErcury Surface Space ENvironment, GEochemistry, and Ranging (MESSENGER) crossings of Mercury's dayside magnetopause with magnetospheric field intensities ≥300 nT. The eight such events, which occurred under highly compressed magnetosphere conditions, are analyzed in the identical manner utilized by Slavin et al. (2014, https://doi.org/10.1002/2014JA020319). The results suggest that the eight highly compressed magnetosphere events represent the highest solar wind dynamic pressures for which the MESSENGER's orbit still passed below the magnetopause and provided measurements of the dayside magnetosphere. Using the magnetohydrodynamic model by Jia et al. (2015, https://doi.org/10.1002/2015JA021143) that electromagnetically couples Mercury's interior with its magnetosphere, a series of global simulations are conducted to quantitatively characterize the response of Mercury's magnetosphere to solar wind forcing. Combining the MESSENGER observations with the simulations, we have obtained a consistent picture of how Mercury's dayside magnetospheric configuration is controlled, separately and in combination, by induction‐driven shielding and reconnection‐driven erosion. For solar wind pressures of ∼40–90 nPa, compared with the average ∼10–15 nPa at Mercury's orbit, the shielding effects of induction in Mercury's core in standing‐off the solar wind typically exceed the erosion of the dayside magnetosphere due to reconnection for these events, most of which occurred under low magnetic shear conditions. For high magnetic shear across the magnetopause our simulation predicts that reconnection would dominate. Mercury's effective magnetic moment as inferred from magnetopause standoff distance ranges from 170 to 250 nT−RM3 for these events. These findings are of crucial importance for understanding the space weathering at Mercury and its contribution to the generation of Mercury's exosphere.

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Section: Messenger Magnetometer and Fips Observations Of Hcm Eventsmentioning

confidence: 99%

MESSENGER Observations and Global Simulations of Highly Compressed Magnetosphere Events at Mercury

et al. 2019

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“…A model used at the Earth to predict where the reconnection site is located is the maximum magnetic shear model, developed by Trattner et al (2007). This model has been successfully validated at the Earth in numerous studies (i.e., Trattner et al, 2012;Fuselier & Lewis, 2011;Dunlop et al, 2011;Petrinec et al, 2011). The maximum magnetic shear model drapes a given IMF over an axisymmetric magnetopause by use of an IMF draping model by Kobel and Flückiger (1994).…”

Section: Modeling the Reconnection Location At The Magnetopausementioning

confidence: 99%

An Investigation of Flow Shear and Diamagnetic Drift Effects on Magnetic Reconnection at Saturn's Dawnside Magnetopause

et al. 2019

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At Saturn, solar wind driving of the magnetosphere is predicted to be reduced due to the extreme rotationally driven interior. As a result, the rotationally driven plasma corotates with the planet, possibly out to the magnetopause. Modeling suggests that this corotation should set up conditions that are unfavorable for the onset of magnetic reconnection on the dawnside magnetopause due to the generation of a significant flow shear. The flow shear model being tested makes use of idealized steady state models and a dominant east-west interplanetary magnetic field orientation with a slight northward component. When the flow shear is larger than the Alfvèn speed, the model indicates that reconnection is suppressed. In this study, we employ observations from Cassini, when the interplanetary magnetic field has a northward component, to test this flow shear suppression model and whether reconnection is suppressed by diamagnetic drifts. Observations from the electron spectrometer on the Cassini Plasma Spectrometer suite of instruments show that reconnection does occur at the dayside magnetopause of Saturn, even in locations where modeling suggests that conditions are unfavorable for its onset. The inconsistency between modeling and observations may be caused by the conditions and assumptions within the model itself. Furthermore, the occurrence of reconnection on the dawnside magnetopause in general may hint at additional complexities in the global structure of Saturn's magnetosphere.

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“…Assessing the scientific merit of candidate Phase 1 orbits requires knowledge of the statistical location of the reconnection line at the magnetopause. However, establishing the statistical location of the reconnection line is difficult using data from spacecraft magnetopause crossings (see, e.g., Fuselier and Lewis 2011) because it is difficult to determine the location of the reconnection line except when a spacecraft encounters it. These encounters are rare (e.g., , and there are no good statistics on the location of reconnection at the magnetopause from these individual encounters.…”

Section: Phase 1: Targeting the Diffusion Region On The Dayside Magnementioning

confidence: 99%

“…Furthermore, the ratio of the thickness to the width of the diffusion region is defined by the reconnection rate, and this rate is poorly determined (see, e.g., Fuselier et al 2010 andLewis 2011). At one extreme, the diffusion region at the magnetopause could be as thin as 1 km and the width could be <10 km.…”

Section: Formation Scale Sizementioning

confidence: 99%

Magnetospheric Multiscale Science Mission Profile and Operations

et al. 2014

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The Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) mission and operations are designed to provide the maximum reconnection science. The mission phases are chosen to investigate reconnection at the dayside magnetopause and in the magnetotail. At the dayside, the MMS orbits are chosen to maximize encounters with the magnetopause in regions where the probability of encountering the reconnection diffusion region is high. In the magnetotail, the orbits are chosen to maximize encounters with the neutral sheet, where reconnection is known to occur episodically. Although this targeting is limited by engineering constraints such as total available fuel, high science return orbits exist for launch dates over most of the year. The tetrahedral spacecraft formation has variable spacing to determine the optimum separations for the reconnection regions at the magnetopause and in the magnetotail. In the specific science regions of interest, the spacecraft are operated in a fast survey mode with continuous acquisition of burst mode data. Later, burst mode triggers and a ground-based scientist in the loop are used to determine the highest quality data to downlink for analysis. This operations scheme maximizes the science return for the mission.

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Properties of Near-Earth Magnetic Reconnection from In-Situ Observations

Cited by 77 publications

References 92 publications

MESSENGER Observations and Global Simulations of Highly Compressed Magnetosphere Events at Mercury

MESSENGER Observations and Global Simulations of Highly Compressed Magnetosphere Events at Mercury

An Investigation of Flow Shear and Diamagnetic Drift Effects on Magnetic Reconnection at Saturn's Dawnside Magnetopause

Magnetospheric Multiscale Science Mission Profile and Operations

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