Unsteady Magnetopause Reconnection Under Quasi-Steady Solar Wind Driving.

ABSTRACT: The intrinsic temporal nature of magnetic reconnection at the magnetopause has been an active area of research. Both temporally steady and intermittent reconnection have been reported. We examine the steadiness of reconnection using space-ground conjunctions under quasi-steady solar wind driving. The spacecraft suggests that reconnection is first inactive, and then activates. The radar further suggests that after activation, reconnection proceeds continuously but unsteadily. The reconnection electric field shows variations at frequencies below 10 mHz with peaks at 3 and 5 mHz. The variation amplitudes are ∼10-30 mV/m in the ionosphere, and 0.3-0.8 mV/m at the equatorial magnetopause. Such amplitudes represent 30%-60% of the peak reconnection electric field. The unsteadiness of reconnection

SUBMITTER: Zou Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9285935 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature