Reconnection initiated in the magnetosheath: Comparing hybrid simulations and Cluster observations

Details Reconnection initiated in the magnetosheath: Comparing hybrid simulations and Cluster observations Reconnection initiated in the magnetosheath: Comparing hybrid simulations and Cluster observations

Dec 2007

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2007agufmsm31d0665o&link_type=abstract

American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting 2007, abstract #SM31D-0665

Physics

2723 Magnetic Reconnection (7526, 7835), 2728 Magnetosheath, 2753 Numerical Modeling, 2784 Solar Wind/Magnetosphere Interactions, 7526 Magnetic Reconnection (2723, 7835)

Scientific paper

Recent observations by the Cluster spacecraft have established the occurrence of magnetic reconnection in the magnetosheath. It was shown that reconnection occurs due to the interaction of a thick tangential discontinuity, with northward IMF at its leading edge and southward IMF at the trailing edge, with the bow shock. This interaction involves compression of the discontinuity by the bow shock to a thickness of about 10 ion skin depth. In this study, we use 2.5-dimensional global hybrid (kinetic ions, fluid electrons) simulations to show that the interaction of a thick tangential/rotational discontinuity with the bow shock leads to its compression and eventual onset of reconnection in the magnetosheath. The observed and simulated thickness of the discontinuity as well as reconnection rates and plasma and field signatures compare favorably. The reconnection in the simulation is quasi-steady with minimal level of island formation. These results are also compared to simulations with thinner discontinuities and different internal structures (e.g. polarization) which show highly time-dependent behavior with magnetic islands forming and evolving on varying scales. Implication of these results regarding steady state and time dependent reconnection is discussed. In addition, global scale consequences of this interaction and transformation of the magnetopause from northward to southward IMF is discussed.

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