Publication Date:
2017-06-11
Description:
With high-resolution data of the recently launched Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) mission, we report a magnetic reconnection event at the dayside magnetopause. This reconnection event, having a density asymmetry N high /N low ≈2 on the two sides of the reconnecting current sheet and a guide field B g ≈0.4B 0 in the ‘out-of-plane’ direction, exhibit all the two-fluid features: Alfvenic plasma jets in the outflow region, bipolar Hall electric fields toward the current sheet center, quadrupolar Hall magnetic fields in the ‘out-of-plane’ direction, and the corresponding Hall currents. Obviously, the density asymmetry N high /N low ≈2 and the guide field B g ≈0.4B 0 are not sufficient to dismiss the quadrupolar pattern of Hall reconnection. This is different from previous simulations, where the bipolar pattern of Hall reconnection was suggested.
Print ISSN:
0148-0227
Topics:
Geosciences
,
Physics
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