Drift waves, intense parallel electric fields, and turbulence associated with asymmetric magnetic reconnection at the magnetopause

Robert E. Ergun; L. -J. Chen; F. D. Wilder; N. Ahmadi; S. Eriksson; M. E. Usanova; K. A. Goodrich; J. C. Holmes; A. P. Sturner; D. M. Malaspina; D. L. Newman; Roy B. Torbert; M. R. Argall; Per-Arne Lindqvist; J. L. Burch; J. M. Webster; J. F. Drake; L. Price; P. A. Cassak; M. Swisdak; M. A. Shay; D. B. Graham; Robert J. Strangeway; Christopher T. Russell; Barbara L. Giles; J. C. Dorelli; D. Gershman; L. Avanov; M. Hesse; B. Lavraud; Olivier Le Contel; A. Retino; T. D. Phan; M. V. Goldman; J. E. Stawarz; Steven J. Schwartz; Jonathan P. Eastwood; K. -J. Hwang; R. Nakamura; S. Wang

doi:10.1002/2016GL072493

Drift waves, intense parallel electric fields, and turbulence associated with asymmetric magnetic reconnection at the magnetopause

Robert E. Ergun^*, L. -J. Chen, F. D. Wilder, N. Ahmadi, S. Eriksson, M. E. Usanova, K. A. Goodrich, J. C. Holmes, A. P. Sturner, D. M. Malaspina, D. L. Newman, Roy B. Torbert, M. R. Argall, Per-Arne Lindqvist, J. L. Burch, J. M. Webster, J. F. Drake, L. Price, P. A. Cassak, M. SwisdakM. A. Shay, D. B. Graham, Robert J. Strangeway, Christopher T. Russell, Barbara L. Giles, J. C. Dorelli, D. Gershman, L. Avanov, M. Hesse, B. Lavraud, Olivier Le Contel, A. Retino, T. D. Phan, M. V. Goldman, J. E. Stawarz, Steven J. Schwartz, Jonathan P. Eastwood, K. -J. Hwang, R. Nakamura, S. Wang

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

50 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Observations of magnetic reconnection at Earth's magnetopause often display asymmetric structures that are accompanied by strong magnetic field (B) fluctuations and large-amplitude parallel electric fields (E||). The B turbulence is most intense at frequencies above the ion cyclotron frequency and below the lower hybrid frequency. The B fluctuations are consistent with a thin, oscillating current sheet that is corrugated along the electron flow direction (along the X line), which is a type of electromagnetic drift wave. Near the X line, electron flow is primarily due to a Hall electric field, which diverts ion flow in asymmetric reconnection and accompanies the instability. Importantly, the drift waves appear to drive strong parallel currents which, in turn, generate large-amplitude (~100 mV/m) E|| in the form of nonlinear waves and structures. These observations suggest that turbulence may be common in asymmetric reconnection, penetrate into the electron diffusion region, and possibly influence the magnetic reconnection process.

Original language	English
Journal	Geophysical Research Letters
Volume	44
Issue number	7
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1002/2016GL072493
Publication status	Published - 16 Apr 2017
Externally published	Yes

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Ergun, R. E., Chen, L. .-J., Wilder, F. D., Ahmadi, N., Eriksson, S., Usanova, M. E., Goodrich, K. A., Holmes, J. C., Sturner, A. P., Malaspina, D. M., Newman, D. L., Torbert, R. B., Argall, M. R., Lindqvist, P.-A., Burch, J. L., Webster, J. M., Drake, J. F., Price, L., Cassak, P. A., ... Wang, S. (2017). Drift waves, intense parallel electric fields, and turbulence associated with asymmetric magnetic reconnection at the magnetopause. Geophysical Research Letters, 44(7). https://doi.org/10.1002/2016GL072493

@article{b2cc7fe59d5c49058a8d4160dd923f2e,

title = "Drift waves, intense parallel electric fields, and turbulence associated with asymmetric magnetic reconnection at the magnetopause",

abstract = "Observations of magnetic reconnection at Earth's magnetopause often display asymmetric structures that are accompanied by strong magnetic field (B) fluctuations and large-amplitude parallel electric fields (E||). The B turbulence is most intense at frequencies above the ion cyclotron frequency and below the lower hybrid frequency. The B fluctuations are consistent with a thin, oscillating current sheet that is corrugated along the electron flow direction (along the X line), which is a type of electromagnetic drift wave. Near the X line, electron flow is primarily due to a Hall electric field, which diverts ion flow in asymmetric reconnection and accompanies the instability. Importantly, the drift waves appear to drive strong parallel currents which, in turn, generate large-amplitude (~100 mV/m) E|| in the form of nonlinear waves and structures. These observations suggest that turbulence may be common in asymmetric reconnection, penetrate into the electron diffusion region, and possibly influence the magnetic reconnection process.",

author = "Ergun, {Robert E.} and Chen, {L. -J.} and Wilder, {F. D.} and N. Ahmadi and S. Eriksson and Usanova, {M. E.} and Goodrich, {K. A.} and Holmes, {J. C.} and Sturner, {A. P.} and Malaspina, {D. M.} and Newman, {D. L.} and Torbert, {Roy B.} and Argall, {M. R.} and Per-Arne Lindqvist and Burch, {J. L.} and Webster, {J. M.} and Drake, {J. F.} and L. Price and Cassak, {P. A.} and M. Swisdak and Shay, {M. A.} and Graham, {D. B.} and Strangeway, {Robert J.} and Russell, {Christopher T.} and Giles, {Barbara L.} and Dorelli, {J. C.} and D. Gershman and L. Avanov and M. Hesse and B. Lavraud and {Le Contel}, Olivier and A. Retino and Phan, {T. D.} and Goldman, {M. V.} and Stawarz, {J. E.} and Schwartz, {Steven J.} and Eastwood, {Jonathan P.} and Hwang, {K. -J.} and R. Nakamura and S. Wang",

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Ergun, RE, Chen, L-J, Wilder, FD, Ahmadi, N, Eriksson, S, Usanova, ME, Goodrich, KA, Holmes, JC, Sturner, AP, Malaspina, DM, Newman, DL, Torbert, RB, Argall, MR, Lindqvist, P-A, Burch, JL, Webster, JM, Drake, JF, Price, L, Cassak, PA, Swisdak, M, Shay, MA, Graham, DB, Strangeway, RJ, Russell, CT, Giles, BL, Dorelli, JC, Gershman, D, Avanov, L, Hesse, M, Lavraud, B, Le Contel, O, Retino, A, Phan, TD, Goldman, MV, Stawarz, JE, Schwartz, SJ, Eastwood, JP, Hwang, K-J, Nakamura, R & Wang, S 2017, 'Drift waves, intense parallel electric fields, and turbulence associated with asymmetric magnetic reconnection at the magnetopause', Geophysical Research Letters, vol. 44, no. 7. https://doi.org/10.1002/2016GL072493

TY - JOUR

T1 - Drift waves, intense parallel electric fields, and turbulence associated with asymmetric magnetic reconnection at the magnetopause

AU - Ergun, Robert E.

AU - Chen, L. -J.

AU - Wilder, F. D.

AU - Ahmadi, N.

AU - Eriksson, S.

AU - Usanova, M. E.

AU - Goodrich, K. A.

AU - Holmes, J. C.

AU - Sturner, A. P.

AU - Malaspina, D. M.

AU - Newman, D. L.

AU - Torbert, Roy B.

AU - Argall, M. R.

AU - Lindqvist, Per-Arne

AU - Burch, J. L.

AU - Webster, J. M.

AU - Drake, J. F.

AU - Price, L.

AU - Cassak, P. A.

AU - Swisdak, M.

AU - Shay, M. A.

AU - Graham, D. B.

AU - Strangeway, Robert J.

AU - Russell, Christopher T.

AU - Giles, Barbara L.

AU - Dorelli, J. C.

AU - Gershman, D.

AU - Avanov, L.

AU - Hesse, M.

AU - Lavraud, B.

AU - Le Contel, Olivier

AU - Retino, A.

AU - Phan, T. D.

AU - Goldman, M. V.

AU - Stawarz, J. E.

AU - Schwartz, Steven J.

AU - Eastwood, Jonathan P.

AU - Hwang, K. -J.

AU - Nakamura, R.

AU - Wang, S.

PY - 2017/4/16

Y1 - 2017/4/16

N2 - Observations of magnetic reconnection at Earth's magnetopause often display asymmetric structures that are accompanied by strong magnetic field (B) fluctuations and large-amplitude parallel electric fields (E||). The B turbulence is most intense at frequencies above the ion cyclotron frequency and below the lower hybrid frequency. The B fluctuations are consistent with a thin, oscillating current sheet that is corrugated along the electron flow direction (along the X line), which is a type of electromagnetic drift wave. Near the X line, electron flow is primarily due to a Hall electric field, which diverts ion flow in asymmetric reconnection and accompanies the instability. Importantly, the drift waves appear to drive strong parallel currents which, in turn, generate large-amplitude (~100 mV/m) E|| in the form of nonlinear waves and structures. These observations suggest that turbulence may be common in asymmetric reconnection, penetrate into the electron diffusion region, and possibly influence the magnetic reconnection process.

AB - Observations of magnetic reconnection at Earth's magnetopause often display asymmetric structures that are accompanied by strong magnetic field (B) fluctuations and large-amplitude parallel electric fields (E||). The B turbulence is most intense at frequencies above the ion cyclotron frequency and below the lower hybrid frequency. The B fluctuations are consistent with a thin, oscillating current sheet that is corrugated along the electron flow direction (along the X line), which is a type of electromagnetic drift wave. Near the X line, electron flow is primarily due to a Hall electric field, which diverts ion flow in asymmetric reconnection and accompanies the instability. Importantly, the drift waves appear to drive strong parallel currents which, in turn, generate large-amplitude (~100 mV/m) E|| in the form of nonlinear waves and structures. These observations suggest that turbulence may be common in asymmetric reconnection, penetrate into the electron diffusion region, and possibly influence the magnetic reconnection process.

UR - http://gateway.webofknowledge.com/gateway/Gateway.cgi?GWVersion=2&SrcAuth=ORCID&SrcApp=OrcidOrg&DestLinkType=FullRecord&DestApp=WOS_CPL&KeyUT=WOS:000400186500002&KeyUID=WOS:000400186500002

U2 - 10.1002/2016GL072493

DO - 10.1002/2016GL072493

M3 - Article

SN - 0094-8276

VL - 44

JO - Geophysical Research Letters

JF - Geophysical Research Letters

IS - 7

ER -

Drift waves, intense parallel electric fields, and turbulence associated with asymmetric magnetic reconnection at the magnetopause

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