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Energetic Electron Acceleration Observed by MMS in the Vicinity of an X-Line CrossingDuring the first months of observations, the Magnetospheric Multiscale Fly's Eye Energetic Particle Spectrometer instrument has observed several instances of electron acceleration up to greater than 100 keV while in the vicinity of the dayside reconnection region. While particle acceleration associated with magnetic reconnection has been seen to occur up to these energies in the tail region, it had not yet been reported at the magnetopause. This study reports on observations of electron acceleration up to hundreds of keV that were recorded on 19 September 2015 around 1000 UT, in the midst of an X-line crossing. In the region surrounding the X-line, whistler-mode and broadband electrostatic waves were observed simultaneously with the appearance of highly energetic electrons which exhibited significant energization in the perpendicular direction. The mechanisms by which particles may be accelerated via reconnection-related processes are intrinsic to understanding particle dynamics among a wide range of spatial scales and plasma environments.
Document ID
20170003539
Acquisition Source
Goddard Space Flight Center
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
External Source(s)
Authors
Jaynes, A. N.
(Colorado Univ. Boulder, CO, United States)
Turner, D. L.
(Aerospace Corp. El Segundo, CA, United States)
Wilder, F. D.
(Colorado Univ. Boulder, CO, United States)
Osmane, A.
(Aalto Univ Aalto, Finland)
Baker, D. N.
(Colorado Univ. Boulder, CO, United States)
Blake, J. B.
(Aerospace Corp. El Segundo, CA, United States)
Fennell, J. F.
(Aerospace Corp. El Segundo, CA, United States)
Cohen, I. J.
(Johns Hopkins Univ. Laurel, MD, United States)
Mauk, B. H.
(Johns Hopkins Univ. Laurel, MD, United States)
Reeves, G. D.
(Los Alamos National Lab. NM, United States)
Giles, B. L.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Gershman, D. J.
(Maryland Univ. College Park, MD, United States)
Date Acquired
April 17, 2017
Publication Date
July 25, 2016
Publication Information
Publication: Geophysical Research Letters
Publisher: American Geophysical Union
Volume: 43
Issue: 14
ISSN: 0094-8276
e-ISSN: 1944-8007
Subject Category
Plasma Physics
Astrophysics
Report/Patent Number
GSFC-E-DAA-TN40971
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: NNG04EB99C
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other

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