Rippled Electron-Scale Structure of a Dipolarization Front

Dong Xiao Pan; Yuri V. Khotyaintsev; Daniel B. Graham; Andris Vaivads; Xu Zhi Zhou; Mats André; Per Arne Lindqvist; Robert E. Ergun; Olivier Le Contel; Christopher T. Russell; Roy B. Torbert; Barbara Giles; James L. Burch

doi:10.1029/2018GL080826

Rippled Electron-Scale Structure of a Dipolarization Front

Dong Xiao Pan
, Yuri V. Khotyaintsev
, Daniel B. Graham
, Andris Vaivads
, Xu Zhi Zhou
, Mats André
, Per Arne Lindqvist
, Robert E. Ergun
, Olivier Le Contel
, Christopher T. Russell
, Roy B. Torbert
, Barbara Giles
, James L. Burch

Tsinghua University
Swedish Institute of Space Physics
KTH Royal Institute of Technology
University of Colorado Boulder
Université Paris-Saclay
Institute of Geophysics and Planetary Physics, University of California
University of New Hampshire Durham
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
Southwest Research Institute

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

Abstract

We use the Magnetospheric Multiscale mission to investigate electron-scale structures at a dipolarization front. The four spacecraft are separated by electron scales and observe large differences in plasma and field parameters within the dipolarization front, indicating strong deviation from typically assumed plane or slightly curved front surface. We attribute this to ripples generated by the lower hybrid drift instability (LHDI) with wave number of kρ_e≃0.4 and maximum wave potential of ∼1 kV ∼k_BT_e. Power law-like spectra of E_⊥ with slope of −3 indicates the turbulent cascade of LHDI. LHDI is observed together with bursty high-frequency parallel electric fields, suggesting coupling of LHDI to higher-frequency electrostatic waves.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	12,116-12,124
Journal	Geophysical Research Letters
Volume	45
Issue number	22
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1029/2018GL080826
Publication status	Published - 28 Nov 2018
Externally published	Yes

Keywords

LHDI
MMS
dipolarization fronts
electron-scale structures
ripples
turbulence

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10.1029/2018GL080826

Cite this

@article{a4144bcc6600453c8356a7f6528d2897,

title = "Rippled Electron-Scale Structure of a Dipolarization Front",

abstract = "We use the Magnetospheric Multiscale mission to investigate electron-scale structures at a dipolarization front. The four spacecraft are separated by electron scales and observe large differences in plasma and field parameters within the dipolarization front, indicating strong deviation from typically assumed plane or slightly curved front surface. We attribute this to ripples generated by the lower hybrid drift instability (LHDI) with wave number of kρe≃0.4 and maximum wave potential of ∼1 kV ∼kBTe. Power law-like spectra of E⊥ with slope of −3 indicates the turbulent cascade of LHDI. LHDI is observed together with bursty high-frequency parallel electric fields, suggesting coupling of LHDI to higher-frequency electrostatic waves.",

keywords = "LHDI, MMS, dipolarization fronts, electron-scale structures, ripples, turbulence",

author = "Pan, \{Dong Xiao\} and Khotyaintsev, \{Yuri V.\} and Graham, \{Daniel B.\} and Andris Vaivads and Zhou, \{Xu Zhi\} and Mats Andr{\'e} and Lindqvist, \{Per Arne\} and Ergun, \{Robert E.\} and \{Le Contel\}, Olivier and Russell, \{Christopher T.\} and Torbert, \{Roy B.\} and Barbara Giles and Burch, \{James L.\}",

year = "2018",

month = nov,

day = "28",

doi = "10.1029/2018GL080826",

language = "English",

volume = "45",

pages = "12,116--12,124",

journal = "Geophysical Research Letters",

issn = "0094-8276",

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T1 - Rippled Electron-Scale Structure of a Dipolarization Front

AU - Pan, Dong Xiao

AU - Khotyaintsev, Yuri V.

AU - Graham, Daniel B.

AU - Vaivads, Andris

AU - Zhou, Xu Zhi

AU - André, Mats

AU - Lindqvist, Per Arne

AU - Ergun, Robert E.

AU - Le Contel, Olivier

AU - Russell, Christopher T.

AU - Torbert, Roy B.

AU - Giles, Barbara

AU - Burch, James L.

PY - 2018/11/28

Y1 - 2018/11/28

N2 - We use the Magnetospheric Multiscale mission to investigate electron-scale structures at a dipolarization front. The four spacecraft are separated by electron scales and observe large differences in plasma and field parameters within the dipolarization front, indicating strong deviation from typically assumed plane or slightly curved front surface. We attribute this to ripples generated by the lower hybrid drift instability (LHDI) with wave number of kρe≃0.4 and maximum wave potential of ∼1 kV ∼kBTe. Power law-like spectra of E⊥ with slope of −3 indicates the turbulent cascade of LHDI. LHDI is observed together with bursty high-frequency parallel electric fields, suggesting coupling of LHDI to higher-frequency electrostatic waves.

AB - We use the Magnetospheric Multiscale mission to investigate electron-scale structures at a dipolarization front. The four spacecraft are separated by electron scales and observe large differences in plasma and field parameters within the dipolarization front, indicating strong deviation from typically assumed plane or slightly curved front surface. We attribute this to ripples generated by the lower hybrid drift instability (LHDI) with wave number of kρe≃0.4 and maximum wave potential of ∼1 kV ∼kBTe. Power law-like spectra of E⊥ with slope of −3 indicates the turbulent cascade of LHDI. LHDI is observed together with bursty high-frequency parallel electric fields, suggesting coupling of LHDI to higher-frequency electrostatic waves.

KW - LHDI

KW - MMS

KW - dipolarization fronts

KW - electron-scale structures

KW - ripples

KW - turbulence

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85057024403

U2 - 10.1029/2018GL080826

DO - 10.1029/2018GL080826

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:85057024403

SN - 0094-8276

VL - 45

SP - 12,116-12,124

JO - Geophysical Research Letters

JF - Geophysical Research Letters

IS - 22

ER -

Rippled Electron-Scale Structure of a Dipolarization Front

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Keywords

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