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Electron Jet Detected by MMS at Dipolarization Front
Author(s) -
Liu C. M.,
Fu H. S.,
Vaivads A.,
Khotyaintsev Y. V.,
Gershman D. J.,
Hwang K.J.,
Chen Z. Z.,
Cao D.,
Xu Y.,
Yang J.,
Peng F. Z.,
Huang S. Y.,
Burch J. L.,
Giles B. L.,
Ergun R. E.,
Russell C. T.,
Lindqvist P.A.,
Le Contel O.
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1002/2017gl076509
Subject(s) - physics , jet (fluid) , atomic physics , electron , current sheet , plasma , ion , current (fluid) , electric field , plasma sheet , front (military) , computational physics , magnetohydrodynamics , nuclear physics , mechanics , meteorology , magnetosphere , quantum mechanics , thermodynamics
Abstract Using MMS high‐resolution measurements, we present the first observation of fast electron jet ( V e ~2,000 km/s) at a dipolarization front (DF) in the magnetotail plasma sheet. This jet, with scale comparable to the DF thickness (~ 0.9 d i ), is primarily in the tangential plane to the DF current sheet and mainly undergoes the E × B drift motion; it contributes significantly to the current system at the DF, including a localized ring‐current that can modify the DF topology. Associated with this fast jet, we observed a persistent normal electric field, strong lower hybrid drift waves, and strong energy conversion at the DF. Such strong energy conversion is primarily attributed to the electron‐jet‐driven current ( E ⋅ j e ≈ 2 E ⋅ j i ), rather than the ion current suggested in previous studies.