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The contribution of flux transfer events to convection
Author(s) -
Lockwood M.,
Cowley S. W. H.,
Smith M. F.,
Rijnbeek R. P.,
Elphic R. C.
Publication year - 1995
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 - 10.1029/95gl01008
Subject(s) - magnetosheath , physics , flux (metallurgy) , convection , series (stratigraphy) , range (aeronautics) , geophysics , astrophysics , solar wind , computational physics , plasma , magnetopause , mechanics , geology , nuclear physics , chemistry , paleontology , materials science , organic chemistry , composite material
It is shown from flux transfer event (FTE) occurrence statistics, observed as a function of MLT by the ISEE satellites, that recent 2‐dimensional analytic theories of the effects of pulsed Petschek reconnection predict FTEs to contribute between 50 and 200 kV to the total reconnection voltage when the magnetosheath field points southward. The upper limit (200 kV) allows the possibility that FTEs provide all the antisunward transport of open field lines into the tail lobe. This range is compared with the voltages associated with series of FTEs signatures, as inferred from ground‐based observations, which are in the range 10–60 kV. We conclude that the contribution could sometimes be made by a series of single, large events; however, the voltage is often likely to be contributed by several FTEs at different MLT.