Observations of whistler mode waves with nonlinear parallel electric fields near the dayside magnetic reconnection separatrix by the Magnetospheric Multiscale mission

Abstract We show observations from the Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) mission of whistler mode waves in the Earth's low‐latitude boundary layer (LLBL) during a magnetic reconnection event. The waves propagated obliquely to the magnetic field toward the X line and were confined to the edge of a...

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Main Authors: Victoria Wilder, R. E. Ergun, K. A. Goodrich, M. V. Goldman, D. L. Newman, D. M. Malaspina, A. N. Jaynes, S. J. Schwartz, K. J. Trattner, J. L. Burch, M. R. Argall, R. B. Torbert, P.‐A. Lindqvist, G. Marklund, O. Le Contel, L. Mirioni, Yu. V. Khotyaintsev, R. J. Strangeway, C. T. Russell, C. J. Pollock, B. L. Giles, F. Plaschke, W. Magnes, S. Eriksson, J. E. Stawarz, A. P. Sturner, J. C. Holmes
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Language:English
Published: Wiley 2016-06-01
Series:Geophysical Research Letters
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1002/2016GL069473
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author Victoria Wilder
R. E. Ergun
K. A. Goodrich
M. V. Goldman
D. L. Newman
D. M. Malaspina
A. N. Jaynes
S. J. Schwartz
K. J. Trattner
J. L. Burch
M. R. Argall
R. B. Torbert
P.‐A. Lindqvist
G. Marklund
O. Le Contel
L. Mirioni
Yu. V. Khotyaintsev
R. J. Strangeway
C. T. Russell
C. J. Pollock
B. L. Giles
F. Plaschke
W. Magnes
S. Eriksson
J. E. Stawarz
A. P. Sturner
J. C. Holmes
author_facet Victoria Wilder
R. E. Ergun
K. A. Goodrich
M. V. Goldman
D. L. Newman
D. M. Malaspina
A. N. Jaynes
S. J. Schwartz
K. J. Trattner
J. L. Burch
M. R. Argall
R. B. Torbert
P.‐A. Lindqvist
G. Marklund
O. Le Contel
L. Mirioni
Yu. V. Khotyaintsev
R. J. Strangeway
C. T. Russell
C. J. Pollock
B. L. Giles
F. Plaschke
W. Magnes
S. Eriksson
J. E. Stawarz
A. P. Sturner
J. C. Holmes
author_sort Victoria Wilder
collection DOAJ
description Abstract We show observations from the Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) mission of whistler mode waves in the Earth's low‐latitude boundary layer (LLBL) during a magnetic reconnection event. The waves propagated obliquely to the magnetic field toward the X line and were confined to the edge of a southward jet in the LLBL. Bipolar parallel electric fields interpreted as electrostatic solitary waves (ESW) are observed intermittently and appear to be in phase with the parallel component of the whistler oscillations. The polarity of the ESWs suggests that if they propagate with the waves, they are electron enhancements as opposed to electron holes. The reduced electron distribution shows a shoulder in the distribution for parallel velocities between 17,000 and 22,000 km/s, which persisted during the interval when ESWs were observed, and is near the phase velocity of the whistlers. This shoulder can drive Langmuir waves, which were observed in the high‐frequency parallel electric field data.
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spelling doaj-art-012b4ee2842a401da47ef0bea6267c492025-08-20T03:10:24ZengWileyGeophysical Research Letters0094-82761944-80072016-06-0143125909591710.1002/2016GL069473Observations of whistler mode waves with nonlinear parallel electric fields near the dayside magnetic reconnection separatrix by the Magnetospheric Multiscale missionVictoria Wilder0R. E. Ergun1K. A. Goodrich2M. V. Goldman3D. L. Newman4D. M. Malaspina5A. N. Jaynes6S. J. Schwartz7K. J. Trattner8J. L. Burch9M. R. Argall10R. B. Torbert11P.‐A. Lindqvist12G. Marklund13O. Le Contel14L. Mirioni15Yu. V. Khotyaintsev16R. J. Strangeway17C. T. Russell18C. J. Pollock19B. L. Giles20F. Plaschke21W. Magnes22S. Eriksson23J. E. Stawarz24A. P. Sturner25J. C. Holmes26Laboratory of Atmospheric and Space Physics University of Colorado Boulder Boulder Colorado USALaboratory of Atmospheric and Space Physics University of Colorado Boulder Boulder Colorado USALaboratory of Atmospheric and Space Physics University of Colorado Boulder Boulder Colorado USADepartment of Physics University of Colorado Boulder Boulder Colorado USADepartment of Physics University of Colorado Boulder Boulder Colorado USALaboratory of Atmospheric and Space Physics University of Colorado Boulder Boulder Colorado USALaboratory of Atmospheric and Space Physics University of Colorado Boulder Boulder Colorado USALaboratory of Atmospheric and Space Physics University of Colorado Boulder Boulder Colorado USALaboratory of Atmospheric and Space Physics University of Colorado Boulder Boulder Colorado USASouthwest Research Institute San Antonio Texas USADepartment of Physics University of New Hampshire Durham New Hampshire USADepartment of Physics University of New Hampshire Durham New Hampshire USARoyal Institute of Technology Stockholm SwedenRoyal Institute of Technology Stockholm SwedenLaboratoire de Physique des Plasmas CNRS/Ecole Polytechnique/UPMC/P11 Vélizy FranceLaboratoire de Physique des Plasmas CNRS/Ecole Polytechnique/UPMC/P11 Vélizy FranceSwedish Institute of Space Physics Uppsala SwedenDepartment of Earth, Planetary and Space Sciences University of California Los Angeles California USADepartment of Earth, Planetary and Space Sciences University of California Los Angeles California USADepartment of Earth, Planetary and Space Sciences University of California Los Angeles California USADepartment of Earth, Planetary and Space Sciences University of California Los Angeles California USASpace Research Institute Austrian Academy of Sciences Graz AustriaSpace Research Institute Austrian Academy of Sciences Graz AustriaLaboratory of Atmospheric and Space Physics University of Colorado Boulder Boulder Colorado USALaboratory of Atmospheric and Space Physics University of Colorado Boulder Boulder Colorado USALaboratory of Atmospheric and Space Physics University of Colorado Boulder Boulder Colorado USALaboratory of Atmospheric and Space Physics University of Colorado Boulder Boulder Colorado USAAbstract We show observations from the Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) mission of whistler mode waves in the Earth's low‐latitude boundary layer (LLBL) during a magnetic reconnection event. The waves propagated obliquely to the magnetic field toward the X line and were confined to the edge of a southward jet in the LLBL. Bipolar parallel electric fields interpreted as electrostatic solitary waves (ESW) are observed intermittently and appear to be in phase with the parallel component of the whistler oscillations. The polarity of the ESWs suggests that if they propagate with the waves, they are electron enhancements as opposed to electron holes. The reduced electron distribution shows a shoulder in the distribution for parallel velocities between 17,000 and 22,000 km/s, which persisted during the interval when ESWs were observed, and is near the phase velocity of the whistlers. This shoulder can drive Langmuir waves, which were observed in the high‐frequency parallel electric field data.https://doi.org/10.1002/2016GL069473magnetic reconnectionwhistlersnonlinear wavesboundary layer
spellingShingle Victoria Wilder
R. E. Ergun
K. A. Goodrich
M. V. Goldman
D. L. Newman
D. M. Malaspina
A. N. Jaynes
S. J. Schwartz
K. J. Trattner
J. L. Burch
M. R. Argall
R. B. Torbert
P.‐A. Lindqvist
G. Marklund
O. Le Contel
L. Mirioni
Yu. V. Khotyaintsev
R. J. Strangeway
C. T. Russell
C. J. Pollock
B. L. Giles
F. Plaschke
W. Magnes
S. Eriksson
J. E. Stawarz
A. P. Sturner
J. C. Holmes
Observations of whistler mode waves with nonlinear parallel electric fields near the dayside magnetic reconnection separatrix by the Magnetospheric Multiscale mission
Geophysical Research Letters
magnetic reconnection
whistlers
nonlinear waves
boundary layer
title Observations of whistler mode waves with nonlinear parallel electric fields near the dayside magnetic reconnection separatrix by the Magnetospheric Multiscale mission
title_full Observations of whistler mode waves with nonlinear parallel electric fields near the dayside magnetic reconnection separatrix by the Magnetospheric Multiscale mission
title_fullStr Observations of whistler mode waves with nonlinear parallel electric fields near the dayside magnetic reconnection separatrix by the Magnetospheric Multiscale mission
title_full_unstemmed Observations of whistler mode waves with nonlinear parallel electric fields near the dayside magnetic reconnection separatrix by the Magnetospheric Multiscale mission
title_short Observations of whistler mode waves with nonlinear parallel electric fields near the dayside magnetic reconnection separatrix by the Magnetospheric Multiscale mission
title_sort observations of whistler mode waves with nonlinear parallel electric fields near the dayside magnetic reconnection separatrix by the magnetospheric multiscale mission
topic magnetic reconnection
whistlers
nonlinear waves
boundary layer
url https://doi.org/10.1002/2016GL069473
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