CLUSTER observations of the CPS and the PSBL tailward of and close to the reconnection site

Details CLUSTER observations of the CPS and the PSBL tailward of and close to the reconnection site CLUSTER observations of the CPS and the PSBL tailward of and close to the reconnection site

May 2002

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2002agusmsm32b..09m&link_type=abstract

American Geophysical Union, Spring Meeting 2002, abstract #SM32B-09

Physics

2736 Magnetosphere/Ionosphere Interactions, 2744 Magnetotail, 2748 Magnetotail Boundary Layers

Scientific paper

We present multi-spacecraft observations of the Central Plasma Sheet (CPS) and the Plasma Sheet Boundary Layer (PSBL) as observed by the CIS-CODIF instrument on CLUSTER during the main phase of the August 17, 2001 storm. The CLUSTER S/C were at apogee (~20 Re) in the midnight region (~0100 MLT). The CIS-CODIF instrument measured ion distribution functions of the major species, H+, He++, He+ and O+ over the energy range 20 eV - 40 keV. During this event CLUSTER is probing the CPS and the PSBL with the S/C being situated tailward of the reconnection region after reconnection takes place. Before reconnection, the CPS is dominated by field aligned bi-directional H+ and O+ beams while in the PSBL earthward field aligned H+ flows are observed. After reconnection and the plasmoid ejection (that results in a very depleted CPS), the plasma sheet is very dynamic and the Z component of the magnetic field fluctuates between near zero and negative values. High velocity (~700 km/s) tailward convective flows are observed in the CPS. In the PSBL high velocity (~1500 km/s) tailward field aligned H+ flows are present while at times a flow reversal is observed. Due to the very thin current sheet, the CLUSTER S/C probe the region between the CPS and the PSBL simultaneously providing a unique oportunity to study this very dynamic environment.

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