Premium
Ion composition measurements within magnetospheric flux transfer events
Author(s) -
Klumpar D. M.,
Fuselier S. A.,
Shelley E. G.
Publication year - 1990
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/gl017i013p02305
Subject(s) - magnetosheath , magnetopause , magnetosphere , physics , solar wind , geophysics , flux (metallurgy) , boundary layer , computational physics , atmospheric sciences , plasma , astrophysics , mechanics , materials science , quantum mechanics , metallurgy
Impulsive reconnection near the subsolar magnetopause is a fundamental process of interaction between the magnetosphere and the solar wind flow. Flux Transfer Events (FTEs) appear to be a manifestation of this process. It is therefore important to fully characterize the FTE so as to better understand the physics of the interaction process. We use magnetic field signatures from the AMPTE/CCE spacecraft to identify two magnetospheric FTEs. Electron distributions measured in the plane of the magnetopause inside these FTEs complement previously reported electron measurements. We report, for the first time, ion composition measurements in the energy range ∼0 to 20 keV/e within an FTE. We find that the ion distributions, the ion composition, and the flow velocities are unique to the FTE and unlike either the adjacent magnetosphere, the nearby boundary layer, or the nearby magnetosheath. The H + , He + , and He 2+ distribution functions in the FTEs have reversed temperature anisotropies and the relative He 2+ abundance is depressed with respect to either the magneosheath or the low latitude boundary layer.