Evidence of small-scale reconnection in the magnetosphereFlux transfer events (FTE's) at the magnetopause, and brief, intense flows in the magnetotail plasma sheet are discussed. Nearly simultaneous observations of FTE's at the dayside magnetopause by the AMPTE-UKS and IRM spacecraft near the equator, and by ISEE-1 and 2 at the same local time but 5 R sub e to the south are shown. In the magnetotail, ISEE-1 and 2 data show that 2 to 10 min intense (200 to 1000 km/sec) flows occur at the neutral sheet. The flows appear to be consistent with short bursts of enhanced reconnection within the plasma sheet, and can transport the plasma between 10 and 30 R sub e earthward or tailward, i.e., the entire distance between the earth and ISEE apogee. The FTE-like structures are also associated with these events.
Document ID
19880007218
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Elphic, R. C. (California Univ. Los Angeles., United States)
Russell, C. T. (California Univ. Los Angeles., United States)
Southwood, D. J. (Imperial Coll. of Science and Technology London, United Kingdom)
Date Acquired
September 5, 2013
Publication Date
August 1, 1987
Publication Information
Publication: ESA, Proceedings of the 21st ESLAB Symposium on Small Scale Plasma Processes in the Solar Chromosphere(Corona, Interplanetary Medium and Planetary Magnetospheres