Properties of plasma ions in the distant Jovian magnetosheath using Solar Wind Around Pluto data on New Horizons

Nicolaou, Georgios; McComas, D. J.; Bagenal, F.; Elliott, H. A.

doi:10.1002/2013ja019665

Cited by 45 publications

(62 citation statements)

References 30 publications

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“…For every measurement, we use the instantaneous rotation phase of the instrument, which we define as the angle between the Z sc and the projection of Jupiter's spin axis (north) onto the X sc -Z sc plane. We note that in this study (as in Nicolaou et al, 2014), we define the spacecraft's frame to be identical to the instrument's frame. In level 2 data the instrument's reference frame is rotated by 180°about the Y sc .…”

Section: Swap Instrument and Observationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…On the other hand, we try to select the minimum possible duration, in order to avoid including plasma with different fluid properties in the same subinterval. Nicolaou et al (2014) developed a method to derive the fluid properties of plasma ions in the deep jovian magnetosheath. In this study we follow the same method.…”

Section: Ion Fluid Properties To Countsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In Eq. (1) we multiply by the factor R(E,θ in ), which is the instrumental elevation angle-energy response as calculated from the calibration data and the ion optics simulation program SIMION of the instrument (see Appendix A of Nicolaou et al (2014)). We also use the energy resolution (ΔΕ/Ε) and the effective area (A eff ) as determined from the SWAP calibration.…”

Section: Ion Fluid Properties To Countsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…They suggested that these multiple crossings resulted from the deflection and contraction/expansion of the magnetotail during the passage of co-rotating interaction regions (CIRs) and high-speed streams in the near Jupiter solar wind. Nicolaou et al (2014) derived the fluid properties of plasma ions in the deep jovian magnetosheath. The flow direction of the plasma in this region implied that flapping of the magnetotail occurred in both the meridional and equatorial planes deflecting the magnetopause by roughly 5°.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In this study, we extend our analysis techniques described by Nicolaou et al (2014) in order to derive the fluid properties in the distant boundary layer of the jovian magnetosphere. Our results are used to study the solar wind-magnetotail interaction and investigate whether viscous interactions could act as possible sources of mixed magnetosheath and magnetotail plasma.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Section: Swap Instrument and Observationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Ion Fluid Properties To Countsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Ion Fluid Properties To Countsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Error analysis for numerical estimates of space plasma parameters

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2015

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Many papers estimate space plasma parameters from instrumentation data via a fitting method, such as reduced chi‐square minimization of a model to the data; however, it is currently rare to see uncertainties for those estimates given in the form of error bars or a covariance matrix. This paper seeks to address this issue by providing a simple method that will provide the covariance matrix and therefore uncertainties with little extra computation, no matter how complex the model. Using established “black box” minimization codes will provide a best fit to the data but may not provide the covariance matrix, while others may provide the covariance matrix (providing their settings are tuned appropriately) but tend to locate a best fit vector to near‐machine precision first. Our method allows the fitting to a physically sensible number of decimal places for the instrument yet also provides the covariance matrix with far fewer iterations required to locate the best fit values, greatly decreasing code run time for the fit procedure itself—a great benefit when there are years of data, or multiple spacecraft, to analyze. While the underlying method utilizing the Hessian matrix is not new, the application is currently rarely applied to spacecraft data and this approach is simple to implement. This paper reviews the basic technique and application to data and ends with simple pseudocode that anyone may employ to calculate the covariance matrix for the fitted parameters.

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Plasma and energetic particle observations in Jupiter's deep tail near the magnetopause

et al. 2014

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Jupiter's nightside magnetosphere stretches out into an extensive magnetotail. New Horizons observed continuously over 1 AU down Jupiter's tail, far more than any other spacecraft. Previously, Voyager 2 showed signatures of the tail as far as 4 AU distance from Jupiter. We combine data from New Horizons' charged particle instruments: Solar Wind Around Pluto, measuring plasma ions (21–7800 eV/Q), and Pluto Energetic Particle Spectrometer Science Investigation, measuring energetic ions and electrons (0.03–1.6 MeV). The magnetosheath is clearly distinguished from the magnetotail, owing to more plasma ions. They are often separated by a boundary layer with intermediate properties at plasma energies but resemblance to the magnetotail at higher energies. Compared to the tail, the sheath contains on average more energetic protons and helium ions (potential solar wind origin) and fewer energetic electrons, oxygen, and sulfur ions (latter two of magnetospheric origin). The difference between tail and sheath for energetic ions and electrons is less pronounced than for plasma ions, which may result from particle exchange. We have ruled out that this is due to gyroradius. Energetic ion count rate enhancements with velocity dispersion cross between tail, boundary layer, and sheath. This indicates occasional magnetic connections since the enhancements are interpreted as particles following magnetic flux tubes. The deep tail magnetic field is therefore not entirely separated from the solar wind. Brief magnetic connection will mostly allow the fastest particles to cross, in agreement with the observations. Most dispersed enhancements include sulfur ions consistent with an origin near Jupiter's X line. We found one event of mostly protons, indicating an origin at larger distances.

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Properties of plasma ions in the distant Jovian magnetosheath using Solar Wind Around Pluto data on New Horizons

Cited by 45 publications

References 30 publications

Jupiter's deep magnetotail boundary layer

Jupiter's deep magnetotail boundary layer

Error analysis for numerical estimates of space plasma parameters

Plasma and energetic particle observations in Jupiter's deep tail near the magnetopause

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