Magnetospheric Multiscale observations of large‐amplitude, parallel, electrostatic waves associated with magnetic reconnection at the magnetopause. Issue 11 (11th June 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Ergun, R. E.; Holmes, J. C.; Goodrich, K. A.; Wilder, F. D.; Stawarz, J. E; Eriksson, S.; Newman, D. L.; Schwartz, S. J.; Goldman, M. V.; Sturner, A. P.; Malaspina, D. M.; Usanova, M. E.; Torbert, R. B.; Argall, M.; Lindqvist, P.‐A.; Khotyaintsev, Y.; Burch, J. L.; Strangeway, R. J.; Russell, C. T.; Pollock, C. J.; Giles, B. L.; Dorelli, J. J. C.; Avanov, L.; Hesse, M.; Chen, L. J.; Lavraud, B.; Le Contel, O.; Retino, A.; Phan, T. D.; Eastwood, J. P.; Oieroset, M.; Drake, J.; Shay, M. A.; Cassak, P. A.; Nakamura, R.; Zhou, M.; Ashour‐Abdalla, M.; André, M.;
• Is Part Of: Geophysical research letters. Volume 43:Issue 11(2016)
• Page Start: 5626
• Page End: 5634
• Publication Date: 2016-06-11
• Subjects: magnetic reconnection -- large‐amplitude waves -- electron diffusion region -- ion acoustic -- electron acoustic -- beam mode; Geophysics -- Periodicals; Planets -- Periodicals; Lunar geology -- Periodicals; 550
• DOI: 10.1002/2016GL068992
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0094-8276

Abstract

Abstract: We report observations from the Magnetospheric Multiscale satellites of large‐amplitude, parallel, electrostatic waves associated with magnetic reconnection at the Earth's magnetopause. The observed waves have parallel electric fields ( E || ) with amplitudes on the order of 100 mV/m and display nonlinear characteristics that suggest a possible net E || . These waves are observed within the ion diffusion region and adjacent to (within several electron skin depths) the electron diffusion region. They are in or near the magnetosphere side current layer. Simulation results support that the strong electrostatic linear and nonlinear wave activities appear to be driven by a two stream instability, which is a consequence of mixing cold (<10 eV) plasma in the magnetosphere with warm (~100 eV) plasma from the magnetosheath on a freshly reconnected magnetic field line. The frequent observation of these waves suggests that cold plasma is often present near the magnetopause. Key Points: Magnetospheric Multiscale observations of large‐amplitude, parallel, electrostatic waves associated with magnetic reconnection Simulations support that the strong electrostatic linear and nonlinear wave activities appear to be driven by a two‐stream instability The frequent observation of these waves suggests that cold plasma is often present near the magnetopause