Premium
The role of upper hybrid waves in magnetic reconnection
Author(s) -
Farrell W. M.,
Desch M. D.,
Ogilvie K. W.,
Kaiser M. L.,
Goetz K.
Publication year - 2003
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 - 10.1029/2003gl017549
Subject(s) - physics , magnetic reconnection , electron , dissipation , lower hybrid oscillation , instability , current (fluid) , computational physics , magnetic field , geophysics , mechanics , electromagnetic electron wave , nuclear physics , quantum mechanics , thermodynamics
Wind observations of upper hybrid (UH) waves adjacent to a magnetic X‐line are compared with simultaneous Wind electron observations to clarify wave‐electron interactions. Electron beams and “football” (T ∥ > T ⟂ ) distributions accompany the UH waves. The energy density of the inward‐directed beams, at 10 −14 J/m 3 , is sufficient to supply the free energy for the waves. The electron beams may be part of the larger Hall current system, and the UH wave/electron instability represent a Hall current dissipation process (i.e., an effective resistance) which removes energy as the currents travels along the separatrix.