On Multiple Hall-Like Electron Currents and Tripolar Guide Magnetic Field Perturbations During Kelvin-Helmholtz Waves

Sturner, Andrew P.; Eriksson, Stefan; Nakamura, Takuma; Gershman, Daniel J.; Plaschke, Ferdinand; Ergun, Robert E.; Wilder, Frederick D.; Giles, Barbara; Pollock, Craig; Paterson, William R.; Strangeway, Robert J.; Baumjohann, Wolfgang; Burch, James L.

doi:10.1002/2017ja024155

Title: On Multiple Hall-Like Electron Currents and Tripolar Guide Magnetic Field Perturbations During Kelvin-Helmholtz Waves

Journal Article · Thu Feb 08 00:00:00 EST 2018 · Journal of Geophysical Research. Space Physics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1002/2017ja024155· OSTI ID:1565634

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Univ. of Colorado, Boulder, CO (United States)
Austrian Academy of Sciences (Austria)
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), Greenbelt, MD (United States)
Denali Scientific, LLC, Healy, AK (United States)
Univ. of California, Los Angeles, CA (United States)
Southwest Research Inst., San Antonio, TX (United States)

Abstract Two magnetopause current sheet crossings with tripolar guide magnetic field signatures were observed by multiple Magnetosphere Multiscale (MMS) spacecraft during Kelvin‐Helmholtz wave activity. The two out‐of‐plane magnetic field depressions of the tripolar guide magnetic field are largely supported by the observed in‐plane electron currents, which are reminiscent of two clockwise Hall current loop systems. A comparison with a three‐dimensional kinetic simulation of Kelvin‐Helmholtz waves and vortex‐induced reconnection suggests that MMS likely encountered the two Hall magnetic field depressions on either side of a magnetic reconnection X‐line. Moreover, MMS observed an out‐of‐plane current reversal and a corresponding in‐plane magnetic field rotation at the center of one of the current sheets, suggesting the presence of two adjacent flux ropes. The region inside one of the ion‐scale flux ropes was characterized by an observed decrease of the total magnetic field, a strong axial current, and significant enhancements of electron density and parallel electron temperature. The flux rope boundary was characterized by currents opposite this axial current, strong in‐plane and converging electric fields, parallel electric fields, and weak electron‐frame Joule dissipation. These return current region observations may reflect a need to support the axial current rather than representing local reconnection signatures in the absence of any exhausts.

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Research Organization:: Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States). Oak Ridge Leadership Computing Facility (OLCF)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Science (SC); National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

Grant/Contract Number:: AC05-00OR22725

OSTI ID:: 1565634

Alternate ID(s):: OSTI ID: 1422425

Journal Information:: Journal of Geophysical Research. Space Physics, Vol. 123, Issue 2; ISSN 2169-9380

Publisher:: American Geophysical UnionCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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Cited by: 9 works

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A Parametric Study of the Structure of Hall Magnetic Field Based on Kinetic Simulations. II. Asymmetric Magnetic Reconnection with a Guide Field Sang, Longlong; Lu, Quanming; Wang, Rongsheng The Astrophysical Journal, Vol. 882, Issue 2 https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/ab35d9	journal	September 2019

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Title: On Multiple Hall-Like Electron Currents and Tripolar Guide Magnetic Field Perturbations During Kelvin-Helmholtz Waves

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