Physics
Scientific paper
Dec 2010
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2010agufmsm43b..06c&link_type=abstract
American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting 2010, abstract #SM43B-06
Physics
[2723] Magnetospheric Physics / Magnetic Reconnection, [2724] Magnetospheric Physics / Magnetopause And Boundary Layers, [2752] Magnetospheric Physics / Mhd Waves And Instabilities, [2784] Magnetospheric Physics / Solar Wind/Magnetosphere Interactions
Scientific paper
It is widely accepted that magnetic reconnection and Kelvin-Helmholtz instabilities are the two most efficient mechanisms of transferring solar wind mass, momentum and energy into the magnetosphere across the magnetopause boundary layer. The relative effectiveness of the two mechanisms under different solar wind conditions and at different locations at the magnetopause is still under intense investigations. We present studies of plasma characteristics of magnetopause boundary perturbations at the flanks during events of low solar wind dynamic pressure. Using observations from Cluster and/or THEMIS conjunctions, we examine plasma properties of magnetopause boundary perturbations that are essential for reconnection and Kelvin-Helmholtz instability. We study plasma properties including variations of plasma flows, magnetic and electric field components, as well as field-aligned current generation across and further away from the boundaries. Events with prolonged low solar wind dynamic pressure, 1 nPa or less, but with small, variable IMF Bz are studied in detail to further understand how the two competing mechanisms, reconnection and Kelvin-Helmholtz instability, contribute to the momentum transfer across the boundary at the flank magnetopause during intervals of relatively quiet solar wind conditions. Such events are particularly valuable as the effects of enhanced global convection and strong coupling between the ionosphere and magnetosphere due to major geomagnetic storms and substorms are absent, allowing us to better understand local plasma instabilities at the boundary.
Angelopoulos Vassilis
Chen Shouxin
Le Guan
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