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Title: [A study of the magnetic field annihilation process in the magnetosphere and some geotechnical applications]

Abstract

Our proposed project is to study the basic plasma processes associated with magnetic reconnection in the Earth's magnetosphere. The three-dimensional (3-D) reconnection process are emphasized in the present study. To explain the satellite observations of flux transfer events (FTEs), we have proposed a multiple X line reconnection (MXR) model for the dayside magnetopause. The same reconnection process may also explain the occurrence of geomagnetic substorms. The multiple X line reconnection is intrinsically a time- dependent process, featuring impulsive and intermittent magnetic reconnection. The study of driven magnetic reconnection process was further extended in the past year by our 3-D MHD simulations that magnetic reconnections may take place along the multiple X lines, resulting in the formulation of helical magnetic flux tubes. The simulation results confirm our earlier theoretical model of multiple X line reconnection in the real 3-D environment. The geometry of the reconnected field lines revealed in the 3-D simulations is found to be more complicated than anticipated. Strong plasma flows along the flux tubes is another feature observed in the simulations. The results suggested that the 3-D reconnections differ significantly from the 2-D reconnections.

Authors:
;
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Alaska Univ., Fairbanks, AK (United States). Geophysical Inst.
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE; USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
OSTI Identifier:
6610443
Report Number(s):
DOE/ER/13530-2; GI-88-49a
ON: DE93013250
DOE Contract Number:  
FG06-86ER13530
Resource Type:
Technical Report
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSICS; EARTH MAGNETOSPHERE; SIMULATION; MAGNETIC STORMS; MATHEMATICAL MODELS; PLASMA; PROGRESS REPORT; THREE-DIMENSIONAL CALCULATIONS; DOCUMENT TYPES; EARTH ATMOSPHERE; 661320* - Auroral, Ionospheric, & Magnetospheric Phenomena- (1992-)

Citation Formats

Lee, L C, and Akasofu, S L. [A study of the magnetic field annihilation process in the magnetosphere and some geotechnical applications]. United States: N. p., 1993. Web. doi:10.2172/6610443.
Lee, L C, & Akasofu, S L. [A study of the magnetic field annihilation process in the magnetosphere and some geotechnical applications]. United States. https://doi.org/10.2172/6610443
Lee, L C, and Akasofu, S L. 1993. "[A study of the magnetic field annihilation process in the magnetosphere and some geotechnical applications]". United States. https://doi.org/10.2172/6610443. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/6610443.
@article{osti_6610443,
title = {[A study of the magnetic field annihilation process in the magnetosphere and some geotechnical applications]},
author = {Lee, L C and Akasofu, S L},
abstractNote = {Our proposed project is to study the basic plasma processes associated with magnetic reconnection in the Earth's magnetosphere. The three-dimensional (3-D) reconnection process are emphasized in the present study. To explain the satellite observations of flux transfer events (FTEs), we have proposed a multiple X line reconnection (MXR) model for the dayside magnetopause. The same reconnection process may also explain the occurrence of geomagnetic substorms. The multiple X line reconnection is intrinsically a time- dependent process, featuring impulsive and intermittent magnetic reconnection. The study of driven magnetic reconnection process was further extended in the past year by our 3-D MHD simulations that magnetic reconnections may take place along the multiple X lines, resulting in the formulation of helical magnetic flux tubes. The simulation results confirm our earlier theoretical model of multiple X line reconnection in the real 3-D environment. The geometry of the reconnected field lines revealed in the 3-D simulations is found to be more complicated than anticipated. Strong plasma flows along the flux tubes is another feature observed in the simulations. The results suggested that the 3-D reconnections differ significantly from the 2-D reconnections.},
doi = {10.2172/6610443},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/6610443}, journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Fri Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1993},
month = {Fri Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1993}
}