Alfven/Ion-Cyclotron Waves Observed on the Earthward Side of a Solar Wind Reconnection Exhaust?

Details Alfven/Ion-Cyclotron Waves Observed on the Earthward Side of a Solar Wind Reconnection Exhaust? Alfven/Ion-Cyclotron Waves Observed on the Earthward Side of a Solar Wind Reconnection Exhaust?

Dec 2009

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2009agufmsh12a..03e&link_type=abstract

American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting 2009, abstract #SH12A-03

Physics

Plasma Physics

[2109] Interplanetary Physics / Discontinuities, [2134] Interplanetary Physics / Interplanetary Magnetic Fields, [7835] Space Plasma Physics / Magnetic Reconnection, [7836] Space Plasma Physics / Mhd Waves And Instabilities

Scientific paper

We present an analysis of a solar wind reconnection exhaust observed by Wind and ACE on 19 January 2006 when Wind encountered five complete ~13-s period Alfvenic fluctuations on the Earthward side of the event. ACE only partially observed this activity despite its general proximity to Wind. The exhaust was characterized by accelerated plasma flow, a magnetic field depression and enhanced density and temperature. It was generally confined to the YZgse plane with a mostly sunward directed normal of the original current sheet. We explore whether the upstream Alfvenic fluctuations are consistent with standing ion-cyclotron waves formed at the interface between the Earthward propagating reconnection exhaust at Wind and the unperturbed solar wind where B=5.4 nT and Omega_ci=0.52 Hz or T_ci=12.2 s. Cluster and Geotail both observed the same solar wind current sheet as Wind and ACE encountered. However, Cluster observed enhanced magnetic field fluctuations at a higher 0.3-180 Hz frequency (5 ms to 3 s) and centered at the magnetic field depression rather than offset toward the Earthward side of the event. This high-frequency activity may be related to the reconnection exhaust which was unresolved by the Cluster-3 CIS instrument.

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