Open AccessStudying electric fields in dipolarization fronts
Author(s) -
Balcerak Ernie
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
eos, transactions american geophysical union
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.316
H-Index - 86
eISSN - 2324-9250
pISSN - 0096-3941
DOI - 10.1002/2014eo450010
Subject(s) - physics , front (military) , electric field , magnetic field , ionosphere , geophysics , plasma , current (fluid) , electric current , computational physics , meteorology , quantum mechanics , thermodynamics
In Earth's magnetotail, sharp increases in the magnetic field known as dipolarization fronts are associated with high‐speed plasma flows that connect Earth's ionosphere via electric currents. Some aspects of these dipolarization fronts have puzzled scientists; in particular, the dip in magnetic field that occurs just ahead of the dipolarization front layer is not well understood. Sun et al. analyze observations made using the Cluster satellites to elucidate the details of electric fields associated with dipolarization fronts. The study shows that a type of electric current known as a Hall current dominates in the dipolarization front region and in the region where the magnetic field dips, but this current flows in opposite directions in these two regions.