Reconstruction of a magnetic flux rope from THEMIS observations

Lui, A. T. Y.; Sibeck, D. G.; Phan, T. D.; Angelopoulos, V.; McFadden, J. P.; Carlson, C. W.; Larson, D. E.; Bonnell, J. W.; Glaßmeier, K.‐H.; Frey, S.

doi:10.1029/2007gl032933

Cited by 24 publications

(32 citation statements)

References 19 publications

(34 reference statements)

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“…The GS reconstruction method is a data analysis tool that can be used to obtain information on the size, magnetic topology, orientation, and so forth of a 2‐D magnetohydrostatic structure [ Sonnerup and Guo , 1996; Hau and Sonnerup , 1999; Hu and Sonnerup , 2001, 2002, 2003; Hu et al , 2005; Hasegawa et al , 2005, 2006; Lui et al , 2008]. Recently, the applications have also been extended to the situation where substantial field‐aligned flow is present or the stream structure has strong perpendicular flow [ Sonnerup et al , 2006; Teh and Sonnerup , 2007; Eriksson et al , 2009].…”

Section: Grad–shafranov Streamline Reconstruction Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

A series of plasma flow vortices in the tail plasma sheet associated with solar wind pressure enhancement

et al. 2010

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[1] A series of earthward-moving (∼140 km/s) plasma flow vortices with anticlockwise (when viewed from above the ecliptic plane) rotation was detected in the dawnside tail plasma sheet between 1255 and 1400 UT on 6 July 2003. These flow vortices were observed under the condition of northward interplanetary magnetic field with an enhanced solar wind dynamic pressure. Analysing the plasma and magnetic field data from the Cluster spacecraft and using the Grad-Shafranov streamline reconstruction technique, we show that the vortex-like plasma structures have a very similar shape: a V x component dominant in the dawnside, while a distinct V y component appears in the duskside, and each structure has a size of about 1.8 × 0.68 R E , approximately in the xy plane of GSM coordinates. It is found that the vortices contain both magnetosphere-originated hot (N ∼ 0.1 cm −3 , E > 3 keV) and magnetosheath-originated denser and colder (N > 0.2 cm −3 , E < 1 keV) populations on the closed field lines. The vortices involve fast earthward flows (V x > 200 km/s) of mainly sheath-originated plasmas. We suggest that these observed plasma flow vortices are generated inside the magnetotail during the prolonged and intensified compression of the magnetosphere by the enhanced solar wind dynamic pressure.

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Section: Grad–shafranov Streamline Reconstruction Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

A series of plasma flow vortices in the tail plasma sheet associated with solar wind pressure enhancement

et al. 2010

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“…Spin period resolution of the plasma distribution functions, when combined with high resolution magnetic and electric field measurements, allows detailed studies of magnetopause structure. Early results published in a special issue of Geophysical Research Letters include: (1) multi-satellite observations of asymmetric reconnection demonstrating that the Hall electric fields are significant only on the magnetospheric side of the magnetopause (Mozer et al 2008), (2) interactions of kinetic Alfven waves with particles at the magnetopause (Chaston et al 2008), (3) multi-satellite observations of a crater flux transfer event (FTE) that is used to recreate the 2-D structure of the magnetopause , and (4) additional analyses of FTE structure (Lui et al 2008;Liu et al 2008).…”

Section: Low Latitude Boundary Layer During Northward Imfmentioning

confidence: 99%

THEMIS ESA First Science Results and Performance Issues

et al. 2008

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Early observations by the THEMIS ESA plasma instrument have revealed new details of the dayside magnetosphere. As an introduction to THEMIS plasma data, this paper presents observations of plasmaspheric plumes, ionospheric ion outflows, field line resonances, structure at the low latitude boundary layer, flux transfer events at the magnetopause, and wave and particle interactions at the bow shock. These observations demonstrate the capabilities of the plasma sensors and the synergy of its measurements with the other THEMIS experiments. In addition, the paper includes discussions of various performance issues with the ESA instrument such as sources of sensor background, measurement limitations, and data formatting problems. These initial results demonstrate successful achievement of all measurement objectives for the plasma instrument.

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“…The reconstruction of two‐dimensional (2‐D), time‐independent plasma/field structures from data taken by a single spacecraft, past which the structure is moving, has been shown to be possible for cases governed by an equation of the Grad‐Shafranov (GS) type [ Sonnerup and Guo , 1996; Hau and Sonnerup , 1999; Hu and Sonnerup , 2001, 2003; Sonnerup et al , 2004, 2006; Hasegawa et al , 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007a, 2007b; Teh et al , 2007; Lui et al , 2008a, 2008b]. Recently, it has been demonstrated that reconstruction is not limited to structures governed by a GS equation: It can in reality proceed directly from the 2‐D, ideal MHD equations [ Sonnerup and Teh , 2008], which has enabled the reconstruction of reconnection geometries in the frame of reference anchored in the X‐line [ Teh and Sonnerup , 2008; Teh et al , 2009] instead of in the deHoffmann‐Teller (HT) frame.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Reconstruction of two‐dimensional coherent structures in ideal and resistive Hall MHD: The theory

Sonnerup

Teh

2009

J. Geophys. Res.

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[1] We demonstrate that it is possible, in principle, to use data from a single spacecraft to produce reconstructions of two-dimensional, time-independent field and plasma structures in space, in circumstances where the Hall effect is important. Such reconstruction generates maps, in a limited region around the spacecraft path, of magnetic and electric fields, of flow field and current distributions, as well as of the various other plasma parameters that characterize the configuration. It is similar to recent work applicable to ideal MHD, but requires additionally that at least two components (usually the spacecraft spin-plane components) of the electric field have been directly measured. Principal emphasis is on ideal Hall MHD. For this case we have developed and benchmarked a numerical code by use of an exact axisymmetric solution in which the Hall effect is significant. The case where electrical resistivity is present as well, for example, in resistive-dispersive shocks, is discussed briefly to illustrate that reconstruction is possible in this case also. A principal target of Hall reconstruction, without or with resistivity, is the ion diffusion region around a reconnection site; applications to actual observed structures will be presented elsewhere.

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Reconstruction of a magnetic flux rope from THEMIS observations

Cited by 24 publications

References 19 publications

A series of plasma flow vortices in the tail plasma sheet associated with solar wind pressure enhancement

A series of plasma flow vortices in the tail plasma sheet associated with solar wind pressure enhancement

THEMIS ESA First Science Results and Performance Issues

Reconstruction of two‐dimensional coherent structures in ideal and resistive Hall MHD: The theory

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