On the Ubiquity of Magnetic Reconnection Inside Flux Transfer Event-Like Structures at the Earth's Magnetopause

Authors

N. Fargette, Université de Toulouse
B. Lavraud, Université Paul Sabatier
M. Oieroset, University of California, Berkeley
T. D. Phan, University of California, Berkeley
S. Toledo-Redondo, Université de Toulouse
R. Kieokaew, Université Paul Sabatier
C. Jacquey, Université Paul Sabatier
S. A. Fuselier, Southwest Research Institute
Karlheinz J. Trattner, Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics
S. M. Petrinec, Lockheed Martin Advanced Technology Center
H. Hasegawa, Institute of Space and Astronautical Science
H. Hasegawa, Institute of Space and Astronautical Science
P. Garnier, Université de Toulouse
V. Genot, Université Paul Sabatier
S. Fadanelli, Université de Toulouse
E. Penou, Université de Toulouse
J. A. Sauvaud, Université de Toulouse
D. L. A. Avanov, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
J. L. Burch, Southwest Research Institute
M. O. Chandler, NASA Marshall Space Flight Center
V. N. Coffey, NASA Marshall Space Flight Center
J. Dorelli, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
J. P. Eastwood, Imperial College London
Charlie J. Farrugia, University of New HampshireFollow
D. J. Gershman, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
B. L. Giles, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
E. Grigorenko, Russian Academy of Sciences
T. E. Moore, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
W. R. Paterson, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
C. Pollock, Denali Scientific
Y. Saito, Institute of Space and Astronautical Science
C. Schiff, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
S. E. Smith, Catholic University of America

Abstract

Flux transfer events (FTEs) are transient phenomena frequently observed at the Earth's magnetopause. Their usual interpretation is a flux rope moving away from the reconnection region. However, the Magnetospheric Multiscale Mission revealed that magnetic reconnection sometimes occurs inside these structures, questioning their flux rope configuration. Here we investigate 229 FTE-type structures and find reconnection signatures inside 19% of them. We analyze their large-scale magnetic topology using electron heat flux and find that it is significantly different across the FTE reconnecting current sheets, demonstrating that they are constituted of two magnetically disconnected structures. We also find that the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) associated with reconnecting FTEs presents a strong By component. We discuss several formation mechanisms to explain these observations. In particular, the maximum magnetic shear model predicts that for large IMF By, two spatially distinct X lines coexist at the magnetopause. They can generate separate magnetic flux tubes that may become interlaced.

Publication Date

3-5-2020

Journal Title

Geophysical Research Letters

Publisher

AGU

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

https://dx.doi.org/10.1029/2019GL086726

Document Type

Article

Recommended Citation

Fargette, N.; Lavraud, B.; Oieroset, M.; Phan, T. D.; Toledo-Redondo, S.; Kieokaew, R.; Jacquey, C.; Fuselier, S. A.; Trattner, K. J.; Petrinec, S.; Hasegawa, H.; Garnier, P.; Genot, V; Lenouvel, Q.; Fadanelli, S.; Penou, E.; Sauvaud, J. A.; Avanov, D. L. A.; Burch, J.; Chandler, M. O.; Coffey, V. N.; Dorelli, J.; Eastwood, J. P.; Farrugia, C. J.; Gershman, D. J.; Giles, B. L.; Grigorenko, E.; Moore, T. E.; Paterson, W. R.; Pollock, C.; Saito, Y.; Schiff, C.; Smith, S. E. (2020). On the Ubiquity of Magnetic Reconnection Inside Flux Transfer Event-Like Structures at the Earth's Magnetopause, GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS. Vol. 47, No. 6. DOI: 10.1029/2019GL086726