Correlation of core field polarity of magnetotail flux ropes with the IMF By: Reconnection guide field dependency. Issue 4 (25th April 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Teh, W.‐L.; Nakamura, R.; Karimabadi, H.; Baumjohann, W.; Zhang, T. L.
• Is Part Of: Journal of geophysical research. Volume 119:Issue 4(2014:Apr.)
• Page Start: 2933
• Page End: 2944
• Publication Date: 2014-04-25
• Subjects: Magnetospheric physics -- Periodicals; Space environment -- Periodicals; Cosmic physics -- Periodicals; Planets -- Atmospheres -- Periodicals; Heliosphere (Astrophysics) -- Periodicals; Geophysics -- Periodicals; 523.01
• DOI: 10.1002/2013JA019454
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2169-9380

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main"> <title>Abstract</title> <p>The relationship between the core field and the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) <italic>B<sub>y</sub></italic> has been addressed by spacecraft observations in the magnetotail, but it is not yet fully clear since observations by Slavin et al. (2003) and Borg et al. (2012) show controversial results. In this study, we examine 13 flux ropes from the Cluster observations to show for the first time that the correlation between the core field <italic>B</italic><sub>core</sub> and the IMF <italic>B<sub>y</sub></italic> depends on the guide field <italic>B</italic><sub>g</sub>. For large guide fields (> 20% of the reconnecting field), we show that the <italic>B</italic><sub>core</sub> is found to correlate with the IMF <italic>B<sub>y</sub></italic>. However, for weak guide fields (< 10% of the reconnecting field) we show that the core fields have either a positive or negative polarity, irrespective of the IMF <italic>B<sub>y</sub></italic>. This result indicates that for weak guide field reconnection the core field generation of the magnetotail flux rope is not governed by the external IMF <italic>B<sub>y</sub></italic>. We can explain the previous controversy in terms of the guide field dependency. We also confirm earlier suggestions that for weak guide field reconnection the flux ropes can have a significant core field whose polarity agrees with the ambient quadrupole Hall field. In addition, the Grad‐Shafranov reconstruction results suggest that the axis of the flux rope may have been kinked. Our findings are crucial and can help advance theoretical simulations of the core field generation for weak guide reconnection. Discussions of the possible core field generation for weak guide field will be given in terms of 3‐D reconnection.</p> </abstract>