Resolved X-line and Electron Diffusion Region Detection at Magnetopause Supported by Asymmetric PIC Simulations

Details Resolved X-line and Electron Diffusion Region Detection at Magnetopause Supported by Asymmetric PIC Simulations Resolved X-line and Electron Diffusion Region Detection at Magnetopause Supported by Asymmetric PIC Simulations

Dec 2011

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2011agufmsm21d..06s&link_type=abstract

American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting 2011, abstract #SM21D-06

Physics

[2723] Magnetospheric Physics / Magnetic Reconnection, [2784] Magnetospheric Physics / Solar Wind/Magnetosphere Interactions

Scientific paper

The X-line and electron diffusion region vicinity have been resolved at the Earth's magnetopause using data from NASA's Polar spacecraft. The magnetic profile of the resolved X-line traversal is shown to be laminar and measured to have the local electron skin depth scale. The thermal electron gyroradius is 10 times smaller than the spatial scales at the X-line. Electrons are observed to become demagnetized in a disjoint region distinct from the separator of the asymmetric guide geometry crossing, where the electron thermal mach number exceeds unity, pressure anisotropy exceeds 10, electron agyrotropy is greater than 0.7, and Guiding Center Expansion parameters are shown to be misordered. This demagnetized region has the principal observable signatures that accompany the EDR transits diagnosed in 2D PIC simulations. The observed profiles of these 4 predicted signatures for the EDR agree well with those from an asymmetric kinetic simulation of the magnetic reconnection. The electron skin depth resolution achieved for these layers with plasma and field diagnostics has been made possible by a new technique that affords an 11 fold increase in spatial resolution for the Polar Hydra 3-D data products.

Affiliated with

Also associated with

No associations

Rating

Resolved X-line and Electron Diffusion Region Detection at Magnetopause Supported by Asymmetric PIC Simulations does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this scientific paper.

If you have personal experience with Resolved X-line and Electron Diffusion Region Detection at Magnetopause Supported by Asymmetric PIC Simulations, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Resolved X-line and Electron Diffusion Region Detection at Magnetopause Supported by Asymmetric PIC Simulations will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-1890162