Electron Inflow Velocities and Reconnection Rates at Earth's Magnetopause and Magnetosheath

J. L. Burch; J. M. Webster; M. Hesse; K. J. Genestreti; R. E. Denton; T. D. Phan; H. Hasegawa; P. A. Cassak; R. B. Torbert; B. L. Giles; D. J. Gershman; R. E. Ergun; C. T. Russell; R. J. Strangeway; O. Le Contel; K. R. Pritchard; A. T. Marshall; K. J. Hwang; K. Dokgo; S. A. Fuselier; L. J. Chen; S. Wang; M. Swisdak; J. F. Drake; M. R. Argall; K. J. Trattner; M. Yamada; G. Paschmann

doi:10.1029/2020GL089082

Electron Inflow Velocities and Reconnection Rates at Earth's Magnetopause and Magnetosheath

J. L. Burch
, J. M. Webster
, M. Hesse
, K. J. Genestreti
, R. E. Denton
, T. D. Phan
, H. Hasegawa
, P. A. Cassak
, R. B. Torbert
, B. L. Giles
, D. J. Gershman
, R. E. Ergun
, C. T. Russell
, R. J. Strangeway
, O. Le Contel
, K. R. Pritchard
, A. T. Marshall
, K. J. Hwang
, K. Dokgo
, S. A. Fuselier

L. J. Chen, S. Wang, M. Swisdak, J. F. Drake, M. R. Argall, K. J. Trattner, M. Yamada, G. Paschmann

Space Science and Engineering Division
Southwest Research Institute
Department of Physics and Astronomy
Rice University
Department of Physics and Technology
University of Bergen
Dartmouth College
University of California, Space Sciences Laboratory
ISAS/JAXA
Department of Physics and Astronomy
West Virginia University
Physics Department and Space Science Center
University of New Hampshire
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics
University of Colorado Boulder
Institute of Geophysics and Planetary Physics, University of California
Department of Physics and Astronomy
University of Texas
University of Maryland
University of Maryland
Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory
Max Planck Institut für Extraterrestrische Physik

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

39 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Electron inflow and outflow velocities during magnetic reconnection at and near the dayside magnetopause are measured using satellites from NASA's Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) mission. A case study is examined in detail, and three other events with similar behavior are shown, with one of them being a recently published electron-only reconnection event in the magnetosheath. The measured inflow speeds of 200–400 km/s imply dimensionless reconnection rates of 0.05–0.25 when normalized to the relevant electron Alfvén speed, which are within the range of expectations. The outflow speeds are about 1.5–3 times the inflow speeds, which is consistent with theoretical predictions of the aspect ratio of the inner electron diffusion region. A reconnection rate of 0.04 ± 25% was obtained for the case study event using the reconnection electric field as compared to the 0.12 ± 20% rate determined from the inflow velocity.

Original language	English
Article number	e2020GL089082
Journal	Geophysical Research Letters
Volume	47
Issue number	17
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1029/2020GL089082
Publication status	Published - 16 Sept 2020

Keywords

Magnetopause
Magnetosheath
Reconnection

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10.1029/2020GL089082

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Burch, J. L., Webster, J. M., Hesse, M., Genestreti, K. J., Denton, R. E., Phan, T. D., Hasegawa, H., Cassak, P. A., Torbert, R. B., Giles, B. L., Gershman, D. J., Ergun, R. E., Russell, C. T., Strangeway, R. J., Le Contel, O., Pritchard, K. R., Marshall, A. T., Hwang, K. J., Dokgo, K., ... Paschmann, G. (2020). Electron Inflow Velocities and Reconnection Rates at Earth's Magnetopause and Magnetosheath. Geophysical Research Letters, 47(17), Article e2020GL089082. https://doi.org/10.1029/2020GL089082

@article{b351153d4ede4c3a8447094377a0e30f,

title = "Electron Inflow Velocities and Reconnection Rates at Earth's Magnetopause and Magnetosheath",

abstract = "Electron inflow and outflow velocities during magnetic reconnection at and near the dayside magnetopause are measured using satellites from NASA's Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) mission. A case study is examined in detail, and three other events with similar behavior are shown, with one of them being a recently published electron-only reconnection event in the magnetosheath. The measured inflow speeds of 200{\textendash}400 km/s imply dimensionless reconnection rates of 0.05{\textendash}0.25 when normalized to the relevant electron Alfv{\'e}n speed, which are within the range of expectations. The outflow speeds are about 1.5{\textendash}3 times the inflow speeds, which is consistent with theoretical predictions of the aspect ratio of the inner electron diffusion region. A reconnection rate of 0.04 ± 25\% was obtained for the case study event using the reconnection electric field as compared to the 0.12 ± 20\% rate determined from the inflow velocity.",

keywords = "Magnetopause, Magnetosheath, Reconnection",

author = "Burch, \{J. L.\} and Webster, \{J. M.\} and M. Hesse and Genestreti, \{K. J.\} and Denton, \{R. E.\} and Phan, \{T. D.\} and H. Hasegawa and Cassak, \{P. A.\} and Torbert, \{R. B.\} and Giles, \{B. L.\} and Gershman, \{D. J.\} and Ergun, \{R. E.\} and Russell, \{C. T.\} and Strangeway, \{R. J.\} and \{Le Contel\}, O. and Pritchard, \{K. R.\} and Marshall, \{A. T.\} and Hwang, \{K. J.\} and K. Dokgo and Fuselier, \{S. A.\} and Chen, \{L. J.\} and S. Wang and M. Swisdak and Drake, \{J. F.\} and Argall, \{M. R.\} and Trattner, \{K. J.\} and M. Yamada and G. Paschmann",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright}2020. The Authors.",

year = "2020",

month = sep,

day = "16",

doi = "10.1029/2020GL089082",

language = "English",

volume = "47",

journal = "Geophysical Research Letters",

issn = "0094-8276",

number = "17",

}

Burch, JL, Webster, JM, Hesse, M, Genestreti, KJ, Denton, RE, Phan, TD, Hasegawa, H, Cassak, PA, Torbert, RB, Giles, BL, Gershman, DJ, Ergun, RE, Russell, CT, Strangeway, RJ, Le Contel, O, Pritchard, KR, Marshall, AT, Hwang, KJ, Dokgo, K, Fuselier, SA, Chen, LJ, Wang, S, Swisdak, M, Drake, JF, Argall, MR, Trattner, KJ, Yamada, M & Paschmann, G 2020, 'Electron Inflow Velocities and Reconnection Rates at Earth's Magnetopause and Magnetosheath', Geophysical Research Letters, vol. 47, no. 17, e2020GL089082. https://doi.org/10.1029/2020GL089082

TY - JOUR

T1 - Electron Inflow Velocities and Reconnection Rates at Earth's Magnetopause and Magnetosheath

AU - Burch, J. L.

AU - Webster, J. M.

AU - Hesse, M.

AU - Genestreti, K. J.

AU - Denton, R. E.

AU - Phan, T. D.

AU - Hasegawa, H.

AU - Cassak, P. A.

AU - Torbert, R. B.

AU - Giles, B. L.

AU - Gershman, D. J.

AU - Ergun, R. E.

AU - Russell, C. T.

AU - Strangeway, R. J.

AU - Le Contel, O.

AU - Pritchard, K. R.

AU - Marshall, A. T.

AU - Hwang, K. J.

AU - Dokgo, K.

AU - Fuselier, S. A.

AU - Chen, L. J.

AU - Wang, S.

AU - Swisdak, M.

AU - Drake, J. F.

AU - Argall, M. R.

AU - Trattner, K. J.

AU - Yamada, M.

AU - Paschmann, G.

PY - 2020/9/16

Y1 - 2020/9/16

N2 - Electron inflow and outflow velocities during magnetic reconnection at and near the dayside magnetopause are measured using satellites from NASA's Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) mission. A case study is examined in detail, and three other events with similar behavior are shown, with one of them being a recently published electron-only reconnection event in the magnetosheath. The measured inflow speeds of 200–400 km/s imply dimensionless reconnection rates of 0.05–0.25 when normalized to the relevant electron Alfvén speed, which are within the range of expectations. The outflow speeds are about 1.5–3 times the inflow speeds, which is consistent with theoretical predictions of the aspect ratio of the inner electron diffusion region. A reconnection rate of 0.04 ± 25% was obtained for the case study event using the reconnection electric field as compared to the 0.12 ± 20% rate determined from the inflow velocity.

AB - Electron inflow and outflow velocities during magnetic reconnection at and near the dayside magnetopause are measured using satellites from NASA's Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) mission. A case study is examined in detail, and three other events with similar behavior are shown, with one of them being a recently published electron-only reconnection event in the magnetosheath. The measured inflow speeds of 200–400 km/s imply dimensionless reconnection rates of 0.05–0.25 when normalized to the relevant electron Alfvén speed, which are within the range of expectations. The outflow speeds are about 1.5–3 times the inflow speeds, which is consistent with theoretical predictions of the aspect ratio of the inner electron diffusion region. A reconnection rate of 0.04 ± 25% was obtained for the case study event using the reconnection electric field as compared to the 0.12 ± 20% rate determined from the inflow velocity.

KW - Magnetopause

KW - Magnetosheath

KW - Reconnection

U2 - 10.1029/2020GL089082

DO - 10.1029/2020GL089082

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:85090855382

SN - 0094-8276

VL - 47

JO - Geophysical Research Letters

JF - Geophysical Research Letters

IS - 17

M1 - e2020GL089082

ER -

Electron Inflow Velocities and Reconnection Rates at Earth's Magnetopause and Magnetosheath

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