Observations of Magnetic Reconnection in the Transition Region of Quasi-Parallel ShocksShow others and affiliations
2019 (English)In: Geophysical Research Letters, ISSN 0094-8276, E-ISSN 1944-8007, Vol. 46, no 3, p. 1177-1184Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]
Using observations of Earth's bow shock by the Magnetospheric Multiscale mission, we show for the first time that active magnetic reconnection is occurring at current sheets embedded within the quasi-parallel shock's transition layer. We observe an electron jet and heating but no ion response, suggesting we have observed an electron-only mode. The lack of ion response is consistent with simulations showing reconnection onset on sub-ion time scales. We also discuss the impact of electron heating in shocks via reconnection.
Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
AMER GEOPHYSICAL UNION , 2019. Vol. 46, no 3, p. 1177-1184
National Category
Geophysics Fusion, Plasma and Space Physics
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:kth:diva-266708DOI: 10.1029/2018GL081804ISI: 000462072800007Scopus ID: 2-s2.0-85061613448OAI: oai:DiVA.org:kth-266708DiVA, id: diva2:1386243
Note
QC 20200117
2020-01-172020-01-172022-06-26Bibliographically approved