Open AccessStructure of the flank magnetopause for horizontal IMF: INTERBALL 1 observations
Author(s) -
Fedorov A.,
Dubinin E.,
Song P.,
Skalsky A.,
Budnik E.
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
journal of geophysical research: space physics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.67
H-Index - 298
eISSN - 2156-2202
pISSN - 0148-0227
DOI - 10.1029/2000ja900104
Subject(s) - magnetopause , magnetosheath , geophysics , physics , magnetic reconnection , interplanetary magnetic field , equator , solar wind , magnetosphere , geology , computational physics , magnetic field , latitude , astrophysics , astronomy , quantum mechanics
A case study is presented of a flank duskside magnetopause crossing by the INTERBALL 1 spacecraft during an interval of duskward horizontal interplanetary magnetic field. There is strong evidence that reconnection takes place in the flank magnetopause, where the draped sheath field has a large shear relative to the magnetospheric field. In our case the satellite was on the duskside above the equator. The assumed reconnection site is on the duskside of the northern flank slightly sunward at higher latitudes with respect to the satellite. The observations show energetic particles streaming along the field in the magnetosheath from the reconnection site, as expected. The deHoffman‐Teller frame analysis shows that propagation of the magnetopause perturbations originates from the derived reconnection site. Observations are, in general, consistent with reconnection models that are based on the one‐dimensional assumption. However, there is some significant deviation from the model prediction. We attribute the deviation to the presence of sheared plasma flow. The magnetopause in this case could not be described as a simple one‐dimensional rotational discontinuity.