Observation of a new type of low-frequency waves at comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko

I. Richter; C. Koenders; H. U. Auster; D. Frühauff; C. Götz; P. Heinisch; C. Perschke; U. Motschmann; B. Stoll; K. Altwegg; J. Burch; C. Carr; E. Cupido; A. Eriksson; P. Henri; R. Goldstein; J. P. Lebreton; P. Mokashi; Z. Nemeth; H. Nilsson; M. Rubin; K. Szegö; B. T. Tsurutani; C. Vallat; M. Volwerk; K. H. Glassmeier

doi:10.5194/angeo-33-1031-2015

Observation of a new type of low-frequency waves at comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko

I. Richter^*, C. Koenders, H. U. Auster, D. Frühauff, C. Götz, P. Heinisch, C. Perschke, U. Motschmann, B. Stoll, K. Altwegg, J. Burch, C. Carr, E. Cupido, A. Eriksson, P. Henri, R. Goldstein, J. P. Lebreton, P. Mokashi, Z. Nemeth, H. NilssonM. Rubin, K. Szegö, B. T. Tsurutani, C. Vallat, M. Volwerk, K. H. Glassmeier

^*Corresponding author for this work

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

60 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

We report on magnetic field measurements made in the innermost coma of 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko in its low-activity state. Quasi-coherent, large-amplitude (δ B/B ~ 1), compressional magnetic field oscillations at ~ 40 mHz dominate the immediate plasma environment of the nucleus. This differs from previously studied cometary interaction regions where waves at the cometary ion gyro-frequencies are the main feature. Thus classical pickup-ion-driven instabilities are unable to explain the observations. We propose a cross-field current instability associated with newborn cometary ion currents as a possible source mechanism.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	1031-1036
Number of pages	6
Journal	Annales Geophysicae
Volume	33
Issue number	8
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-33-1031-2015
Publication status	Published - 1 Aug 2015
Externally published	Yes

Keywords

Physics - Space Physics

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10.5194/angeo-33-1031-2015Licence: CC BY

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Cite this

Richter, I., Koenders, C., Auster, H. U., Frühauff, D., Götz, C., Heinisch, P., Perschke, C., Motschmann, U., Stoll, B., Altwegg, K., Burch, J., Carr, C., Cupido, E., Eriksson, A., Henri, P., Goldstein, R., Lebreton, J. P., Mokashi, P., Nemeth, Z., ... Glassmeier, K. H. (2015). Observation of a new type of low-frequency waves at comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko. Annales Geophysicae, 33(8), 1031-1036. https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-33-1031-2015

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title = "Observation of a new type of low-frequency waves at comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko",

abstract = "We report on magnetic field measurements made in the innermost coma of 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko in its low-activity state. Quasi-coherent, large-amplitude (δ B/B ~ 1), compressional magnetic field oscillations at ~ 40 mHz dominate the immediate plasma environment of the nucleus. This differs from previously studied cometary interaction regions where waves at the cometary ion gyro-frequencies are the main feature. Thus classical pickup-ion-driven instabilities are unable to explain the observations. We propose a cross-field current instability associated with newborn cometary ion currents as a possible source mechanism.",

keywords = "Physics - Space Physics",

author = "I. Richter and C. Koenders and Auster, {H. U.} and D. Fr{\"u}hauff and C. G{\"o}tz and P. Heinisch and C. Perschke and U. Motschmann and B. Stoll and K. Altwegg and J. Burch and C. Carr and E. Cupido and A. Eriksson and P. Henri and R. Goldstein and Lebreton, {J. P.} and P. Mokashi and Z. Nemeth and H. Nilsson and M. Rubin and K. Szeg{\"o} and Tsurutani, {B. T.} and C. Vallat and M. Volwerk and Glassmeier, {K. H.}",

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doi = "10.5194/angeo-33-1031-2015",

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Richter, I, Koenders, C, Auster, HU, Frühauff, D, Götz, C, Heinisch, P, Perschke, C, Motschmann, U, Stoll, B, Altwegg, K, Burch, J, Carr, C, Cupido, E, Eriksson, A, Henri, P, Goldstein, R, Lebreton, JP, Mokashi, P, Nemeth, Z, Nilsson, H, Rubin, M, Szegö, K, Tsurutani, BT, Vallat, C, Volwerk, M & Glassmeier, KH 2015, 'Observation of a new type of low-frequency waves at comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko', Annales Geophysicae, vol. 33, no. 8, pp. 1031-1036. https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-33-1031-2015

TY - JOUR

T1 - Observation of a new type of low-frequency waves at comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko

AU - Richter, I.

AU - Koenders, C.

AU - Auster, H. U.

AU - Frühauff, D.

AU - Götz, C.

AU - Heinisch, P.

AU - Perschke, C.

AU - Motschmann, U.

AU - Stoll, B.

AU - Altwegg, K.

AU - Burch, J.

AU - Carr, C.

AU - Cupido, E.

AU - Eriksson, A.

AU - Henri, P.

AU - Goldstein, R.

AU - Lebreton, J. P.

AU - Mokashi, P.

AU - Nemeth, Z.

AU - Nilsson, H.

AU - Rubin, M.

AU - Szegö, K.

AU - Tsurutani, B. T.

AU - Vallat, C.

AU - Volwerk, M.

AU - Glassmeier, K. H.

PY - 2015/8/1

Y1 - 2015/8/1

N2 - We report on magnetic field measurements made in the innermost coma of 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko in its low-activity state. Quasi-coherent, large-amplitude (δ B/B ~ 1), compressional magnetic field oscillations at ~ 40 mHz dominate the immediate plasma environment of the nucleus. This differs from previously studied cometary interaction regions where waves at the cometary ion gyro-frequencies are the main feature. Thus classical pickup-ion-driven instabilities are unable to explain the observations. We propose a cross-field current instability associated with newborn cometary ion currents as a possible source mechanism.

AB - We report on magnetic field measurements made in the innermost coma of 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko in its low-activity state. Quasi-coherent, large-amplitude (δ B/B ~ 1), compressional magnetic field oscillations at ~ 40 mHz dominate the immediate plasma environment of the nucleus. This differs from previously studied cometary interaction regions where waves at the cometary ion gyro-frequencies are the main feature. Thus classical pickup-ion-driven instabilities are unable to explain the observations. We propose a cross-field current instability associated with newborn cometary ion currents as a possible source mechanism.

KW - Physics - Space Physics

U2 - 10.5194/angeo-33-1031-2015

DO - 10.5194/angeo-33-1031-2015

M3 - Article

SN - 0992-7689

VL - 33

SP - 1031

EP - 1036

JO - Annales Geophysicae

JF - Annales Geophysicae

IS - 8

ER -