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The Geometry of an Electron Scale Magnetic Cavity in the Plasma Sheet
Author(s) -
Liu H.,
Zong Q.G.,
Zhang H.,
Sun W. J.,
Zhou X.Z.,
Gershman Daniel J.,
Shi C.,
Zhang K.,
Le Guan,
Pollock C.
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 - 10.1029/2019gl083569
Subject(s) - plasma sheet , electron , physics , plasma , computational physics , turbulence , magnetic reconnection , atomic physics , geometry , mechanics , magnetosphere , quantum mechanics , mathematics
Electron scale magnetic cavities are electron vortex structures formed in turbulent plasma, while the evolution and electron dynamics of these structures have not been fully understood. Recently, high‐energy, angular, and temporal electron measurements from Magnetospheric Multiscale have enabled the application of an energetic particle sounding technique to these structures. This study analyzes an electron scale magnetic cavity observed by Magnetospheric Multiscale on 7 May 2015 in the plasma sheet. A comprehensive sounding technique is applied to obtain the geometry and propagation velocities of the boundaries. The result shows that the scale size of the structure is ∼90 km, and the leading and trailing boundaries are moving in the same direction but with different speeds (∼11.5 ± 2.2 and ∼18.1 ± 3.4 km/s, respectively). The speed difference suggests a shrinking of the structure that may play a significant role in magnetic energy dissipation and electron energization of electron scale magnetic cavities.