Magnetosheath quasi-trapped distributions and ion flows associated with reconnection

Using a sample of ISEE 1 and 2 magnetopause crossings previously identified as times of quasi-steady reconnection, flows of medium energy ions in the magnetosheath are identified. The paper then investigates the particle pitch angle distribution immediately before and after each of these events for the signature of quasi-trapped distributions of energetic ions. Several of the ion flows identified were observed simultaneously with previously identified flux transfer events (FTEs). While FTEs identified from the magnetometer tracings typically show evidence of ion flows, the converse is not necessarily true. However, all properties of the magnetosheath ion flows are the same regardless of whether an FTE can be identified from the magnetometer data. Evidence is found for small-scale reconnection processes (FTEs, ion flows) embedded within a larger region of interconnected field, which is traced out by the quasi-trapped particles. Quasi-trapped distributions of medium-energy ions are seen to sandwich reconnection-associated ion flows in the magnetosheath. The results of this survey have been used to suggest a morphology for reconnection events that incorporates both large- and small-scale features.