Physics
Scientific paper
Mar 2004
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2004jgra..10903219t&link_type=abstract
Journal of Geophysical Research, Volume 109, Issue A3, CiteID A03219
Physics
26
Magnetospheric Physics: Magnetopause, Cusp, And Boundary Layers, Magnetospheric Physics: Energetic Particles, Precipitating, Magnetospheric Physics: Solar Wind/Magnetosphere Interactions, Magnetospheric Physics: Magnetosphere-Outer
Scientific paper
The interconnection of magnetic fields through magnetic reconnection at the magnetopause is the dominant process for mass, energy, and momentum transfers from the Earth's magnetosheath to the magnetosphere. Earlier studies on the location of the reconnection line during northward interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) conditions and high solar wind dynamic pressure revealed an approximately equal probability for antiparallel and component reconnection between the IMF and the geomagnetic field. Using data from the Toroidal Imaging Mass Angle Spectrograph on the Polar spacecraft, we have substantially increased our survey, selecting only events with northward IMF but no restrictions on the solar wind dynamic pressure. The distance to the reconnection line is calculated using the proven method of three-dimensional cuts of the proton distribution function in the cusp to identify the low-velocity cutoffs of precipitating and mirrored ion populations. Antiparallel and component reconnections are identified by tracing this calculated distance to the reconnection site back along the geomagnetic field to the magnetopause, where the draped IMF is used to calculate the magnetopause shear angle. We find that both reconnection scenarios, antiparallel and component reconnections, occur for the same IMF conditions. The observation of either antiparallel or component reconnection depends entirely on the location of the observing spacecraft.
Fuselier Stephen A.
Petrinec Steven M.
Trattner K. J.
No associations
LandOfFree
Location of the reconnection line for northward interplanetary magnetic field 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 Location of the reconnection line for northward interplanetary magnetic field, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Location of the reconnection line for northward interplanetary magnetic field will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-1134972