Physics
Scientific paper
Dec 1994
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1994jgr....9923723l&link_type=abstract
Journal of Geophysical Research (ISSN 0148-0227), vol. 99, no. A12, p. 23,723-23,734
Physics
15
Boundary Layer Plasmas, Interplanetary Magnetic Fields, Mach Number, Magnetic Field Reconnection, Magnetopause, Plasma Heating, Plasmas (Physics), Polar Cusps, Solar Wind, Earth Magnetosphere, International Sun Earth Explorers, Magnetosheath, Particle Acceleration, Solar Terrestrial Interactions
Scientific paper
We use International Sun-Earth Explorer (ISEE) magnetic field and plasma data to examine dayside magnetopause crossing under conditions of low Mach number and strongly northward interplanetary magnetic field (IMF). When the solar wind Mach number is low, the IMF stregth and magnetoseath field stregth are large, and we expect the effects of magnetic reconection to be the strongest. When the IMF is strongly northward, we find that the location of the magnetopause boundary layer is very stationary in the space, and we observe many features that are common for both typical and low Mach numbers. However, under low Mach number conditions, we have observed some features that would be expected for cusp reconnection. The boundary layer near the subsolar region contains heated magnetosheath plasma with little hot magnetospheric component that has clearly entered the magnetosphere elsewhere. At least some of the structures present in the boundary layer are impulsive. Inside the boundary layer there is also clear evidence of acceleratedflow from the cusp region for strongly northward IMF at low Mach number. Reconnection beyond the cusp can explain the observed field, plasma, and flow signatures. Therefore at low Mach number, reconection is important in the formation of the boundary layer for northward IMF.
Gosling Jack T.
Le Guan
Russell Christopher T.
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