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Waves in Kinetic‐Scale Magnetic Dips: MMS Observations in the Magnetosheath
Author(s) -
Yao S. T.,
Shi Q. Q.,
Yao Z. H.,
Li J. X.,
Yue C.,
Tao X.,
Degeling A. W.,
Zong Q. G.,
Wang X. G.,
Tian A. M.,
Russell C. T.,
Zhou X. Z.,
Guo R. L.,
Rae I. J.,
Fu H. S.,
Zhang H.,
Li L.,
Le Contel O.,
Torbert R. B.,
Ergun R. E.,
Lindqvist P.A.,
Pollock C. J.,
Giles B. L.
Publication year - 2019
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 - 10.1029/2018gl080696
Subject(s) - magnetosheath , physics , gyroradius , whistler , computational physics , magnetic field , dissipation , kinetic energy , geophysics , cyclotron , electron , atomic physics , magnetopause , magnetosphere , classical mechanics , nuclear physics , quantum mechanics , thermodynamics
Kinetic‐scale magnetic dips (KSMDs), with a significant depression in magnetic field strength, and scale length close to and less than one proton gyroradius, were reported in the turbulent plasmas both in recent observation and numerical simulation studies. These KSMDs likely play important roles in energy conversion and dissipation. In this study, we present observations of the KSMDs that are labeled whistler mode waves, electrostatic solitary waves, and electron cyclotron waves in the magnetosheath. The observations suggest that electron temperature anisotropy or beams within KSMD structures provide free energy to generate these waves. In addition, the occurrence rates of the waves are higher in the center of the magnetic dips than at their edges, implying that the KSMDs might be the origin of various kinds of waves. We suggest that the KSMDs could provide favorable conditions for the generation of waves and transfer energy to the waves in turbulent magnetosheath plasmas.