References

NPG

Nonlinear Processes in Geophysics

NPG

Nonlin. Processes Geophys.

1607-7946

Copernicus Publications

Göttingen, Germany

10.5194/npg-13-365-2006

Experimental study of nonlinear interaction of plasma flow with charged thin current sheets: 1. Boundary structure and motion

Amata

¹ Savin

² André

³ Dunlop

⁴ Khotyaintsev

³ Marcucci

M. F.

¹ Fazakerley

⁵ Bogdanova

Y. V.

⁵ Décréau

P. M. E.

⁶ Rauch

J. L.

⁶ Trotignon

J. G.

⁶ Skalsky

² Romanov

² Buechner

⁷ Blecki

⁸ Rème

⁹

Istituto di Fisica dello Spazio Interplanetario, INAF, Via del fosso del cavaliere 100, 00133 Roma, Italy

Space Research Institute, 117997, Profsoyuznaya 84/32, Moscow, Russia

Swedish Institute of Space Physics, Uppsala, Sweden

Space Science and Technology Department, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, UK

Mullard Space Science Laboratory, Holmbury St Mary, Surrey, UK

Laboratoire de Physique et Chimie, de l'Environnement, CNRS, Orléans, France, France

Max-Planck-Institut fur Sonnensystemforschung, Katlenburg-Lindau, Germany

Space Research Center, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland

Centre d'Etude Spatiale de Rayonnement, CNRS/UPS/OMP, Toulouse, France

10 08 2006

13 4 365 376

2006

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We study plasma transport at a thin magnetopause (MP), described hereafter as a thin current sheet (TCS), observed by Cluster at the southern cusp on 13 February 2001 around 20:01 UT. The Cluster observations generally agree with the predictions of the Gas Dynamic Convection Field (GDCF) model in the magnetosheath (MSH) up to the MSH boundary layer, where significant differences are seen. We find for the MP a normal roughly along the GSE x-axis, which implies a clear departure from the local average MP normal, a ~90 km thickness and an outward speed of 35 km/s. Two populations are identified in the MSH boundary layer: the first one roughly perpendicular to the MSH magnetic field, which we interpret as the "incident" MSH plasma, the second one mostly parallel to B. Just after the MP crossing a velocity jet is observed with a peak speed of 240 km/s, perpendicular to B, with MA=3 and β>10 (peak value 23). The magnetic field clock angle rotates by 70° across the MP. Ex is the main electric field component on both sides of the MP, displaying a bipolar signature, positive on the MSH side and negative on the opposite side, corresponding to a ~300 V electric potential jump across the TCS. The E×B velocity generally coincides with the perpendicular velocity measured by CIS; however, in the speed jet a difference between the two is observed, which suggests the need for an extra flow source. We propose that the MP TCS can act locally as an obstacle for low-energy ions (<350 eV), being transparent for ions with larger gyroradius. As a result, the penetration of plasma by finite gyroradius is considered as a possible source for the jet. The role of reconnection is briefly discussed. The electrodynamics of the TCS along with mass and momentum transfer across it are further discussed in the companion paper by Savin et al. (2006).

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