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Can random reconnection on the magnetopause produce the low latitude boundary layer?

Atsuhiro Nishida

Open publisher page 148 citations

Abstract

We consider consequences of the reconnection that occurs randomly on the dayside magnetopause. Open field lines produced by such reconnection events often intersect with each other, and they do not necessarily show some of the features that would be expected from the reconnection if this mutual interaction were absent. Some of the randomly produced open field lines would re‐reconnect and result in closed field lines. The solar wind plasma streams into the magnetosphere along these field lines as long as they are open, however, and stays there after the field lines become closed again. We propose that this is the mechanism of the plasma supply into the low‐latitude boundary layer. We will show that many of the observed signatures of the LLBL are consistent with this model.

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What this paper is about

We consider consequences of the reconnection that occurs randomly on the dayside magnetopause. Open field lines produced by such reconnection events often intersect with each other, and they do not necessarily show some of the features that would be expected from the reconnection if this mutual interaction were absent. Some of the randomly produced open field lines would re‐reconnect and result in closed field lines. The solar wind plasma streams into the magnetosphere along these field lines as long as they are open, however, and stays there after the field lines become closed again. We propose that this is the mechanism of the plasma supply into the low‐latitude boundary layer. We will show that many of the observed signatures of the LLBL are consistent with this model.

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Available abstract

We consider consequences of the reconnection that occurs randomly on the dayside magnetopause. Open field lines produced by such reconnection events often intersect with each other, and they do not necessarily show some of the features that would be expected from the reconnection if this mutual interaction were absent. Some of the randomly produced open field lines would re‐reconnect and result in closed field lines. The solar wind plasma streams into the magnetosphere along these field lines as long as they are open, however, and stays there after the field lines become closed again. We propose that this is the mechanism of the plasma supply into the low‐latitude boundary layer. We will show that many of the observed signatures of the LLBL are consistent with this model.

Key concepts: Magnetopause, Field line, Magnetosphere, Physics, Geophysics, Magnetic reconnection, Solar wind, Boundary layer

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Can random reconnection on the magnetopause produce the low latitude boundary layer? — Research Paper | ScholarLens