Cluster Observations of the appearance of a double cusp

Details Cluster Observations of the appearance of a double cusp Cluster Observations of the appearance of a double cusp

Dec 2002

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2002agufmsm12b..04e&link_type=abstract

American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting 2002, abstract #SM12B-04

Physics

2463 Plasma Convection, 2724 Magnetopause, Cusp, And Boundary Layers, 2784 Solar Wind/Magnetosphere Interactions

Scientific paper

The polar cusp is moving in latitude according to the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) orientation, from about 75 deg. ILAT for Bz negative to about 82 deg. ILAT for Bz positive. This is explained by the magnetic reconnection, between the solar wind and the magnetosphere, taking place at the subsolar point for Bz negative and in the tail lobes for Bz positive. For the first time we can measure, in-situ, the motion of the polar cusp with the Cluster spacecraft. The four Cluster spacecraft are crossing the mid-altitude polar cusp, in a "string of pearl" configuration, and are therefore the ideal tool to study the motion and evolution of the cusp on time scale of a few minutes up to 45 min. On 30 August 2001, the four Cluster spacecraft crossed the mid-altitude polar cusp (4-6 Re) around 12.5 H local time with SC4 entering the cusp at 1532 UT, SC2 following 1.5 min later, SC1, 3 min later and finally SC3, 45 min later. SC4 and SC1 observed a typical poleward ion dispersion associated with Bz negative. SC3 observed first the same dispersion starting at about 74 deg. ILAT, however at 81 deg. ILAT a second dispersion was observed. The IMF was southward during the dispersion and became slightly positive during the second dispersion. DMSP satellites data, SuperDarn and global MHD simulation model, all support a motion of the cusp poleward which would explain the cusp encountered twice by Cluster. In addition, burst of high energy ions are observed by Cluster near the equatorial boundary of the cusp which could be explained by the cusp motion.

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