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MMS Observations of Electron-Scale Filamentary Currents in the Reconnection Exhaust and Near the X LineWe report Magnetospheric Multiscale observations of macroscopic and electron-scale current layers in asymmetric reconnection. By intercomparing plasma, magnetic, and electric field data at multiple crossings of a reconnecting magnetopause on 22 October 2015, when the average interspacecraft separation was approximately 10 km, we demonstrate that the ion and electron moments are sufficiently accurate to provide reliable current density measurements at 30ms cadence. These measurements, which resolve current layers narrower than the interspacecraft separation, reveal electron-scale filamentary Hall currents and electron vorticity within the reconnection exhaust far downstream of the X line and even in the magnetosheath. Slightly downstream of the X line, intense (up to 3 μA/m2) electron currents, a super-Alfvenic outflowing electron jet, and nongyrotropic crescent shape electron distributions were observed deep inside the ion-scale magnetopause current sheet and embedded in the ion diffusion region. These characteristics are similar to those attributed to the electron dissipation/diffusion region around the X line.
Document ID
20170003514
Acquisition Source
Goddard Space Flight Center
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
External Source(s)
Authors
Phan, T. D.
(California Univ. Berkeley, CA, United States)
Eastwood, J. P.
(Imperial Coll. of London London, United Kingdom)
Cassak, P. A.
(West Virginia Univ. Morgantown, WV, United States)
Oieroset, M.
(California Univ. Berkeley, CA, United States)
Gosling, J. T.
(Colorado Univ. Boulder, CO, United States)
Gershman, D. J.
(Maryland Univ. College Park, MD, United States)
Mozer, F. S.
(California Univ. Berkeley, CA, United States)
Shay, M. A.
(Delaware Univ. Newark, DE, United States)
Fujimoto, M.
(Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency Kanagawa, Japan)
Daughton, W.
(Los Alamos National Lab. NM, United States)
Giles, B. L.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD United States)
Dorelli, J. C.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD United States)
Moore, T. E.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD United States)
Paterson, W.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD United States)
Date Acquired
April 17, 2017
Publication Date
June 28, 2016
Publication Information
Publication: Geophysical Research Letters
Publisher: American Geophysical Union
Volume: 43
Issue: 12
ISSN: 0094-8276
e-ISSN: 1944-8007
Subject Category
Geophysics
Report/Patent Number
GSFC-E-DAA-TN41021
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: NNX08AO83G
CONTRACT_GRANT: NNX08A084G
CONTRACT_GRANT: NNX16AG76G
CONTRACT_GRANT: NNX13AD72G
CONTRACT_GRANT: NNX16AF75G
CONTRACT_GRANT: NNG11PL02A
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other

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