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The Occurrence and Prevalence of Magnetic Reconnection in the Kelvin‐Helmholtz Instability Under Various Solar Wind Conditions.

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Bibliographic Details
Title: The Occurrence and Prevalence of Magnetic Reconnection in the Kelvin‐Helmholtz Instability Under Various Solar Wind Conditions.
Authors: Wilder, F. D.1 (AUTHOR) rederick.wilder@uta.edu, King, A.1 (AUTHOR), Gove, D.2 (AUTHOR), Eriksson, S.2 (AUTHOR), Ahmadi, N.2 (AUTHOR), Workman, T. L.1 (AUTHOR), Ergun, R. E.2 (AUTHOR), Burch, J. L.3 (AUTHOR), Torbert, R. B.4 (AUTHOR), Giles, B. L.5 (AUTHOR), Strangeway, R. J.6 (AUTHOR)
Source: Journal of Geophysical Research. Space Physics. Oct2023, Vol. 128 Issue 10, p1-11. 11p.
Subject Terms: Kelvin-Helmholtz instability, Magnetic reconnection, Solar wind, Interplanetary magnetic fields, Current sheets, Magnetic flux density
Company/Entity: United States. National Aeronautics & Space Administration
People: Helmholtz, Hermann von, 1821-1894
Abstract: As the shocked solar wind flows past the flank magnetopause, surface waves can form and roll up into flow vortices. This is known as the Kelvin–Helmholtz Instability, which is thought to be an important mechanism whereby energy and momentum are transferred from the solar wind into the magnetosphere. One mechanism whereby this can occur is magnetic reconnection in the equatorial plane on compressed current sheets between vortices. In 2015, the NASA Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) mission observed this form of in‐plane reconnection during a KHI event in the post‐noon sector of the dayside magnetopause. We use data from MMS to investigate 12 KHI events at different positions along the magnetospheric flanks. For each event, we identify periodic compressed current sheets and perform Walén tests for each to identify reconnection jets. We then investigate the fraction of current sheets that exhibit reconnection signatures, and refer to it as the "event ratio." Results show that the event ratio decreases for events further down the magnetospheric flanks. Additionally, we investigate solar wind parameters during each event and find that the event ratio increases with an increasing northward component of the interplanetary magnetic field. Key Points: 12 Kelvin‐Helmholtz events observed by MMS are investigatedWe determine the fraction of current sheets where magnetic reconnection occursThe fraction of currents sheets with reconnection signatures correlates with northward interplanetary magnetic field strength [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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Description
Abstract:As the shocked solar wind flows past the flank magnetopause, surface waves can form and roll up into flow vortices. This is known as the Kelvin–Helmholtz Instability, which is thought to be an important mechanism whereby energy and momentum are transferred from the solar wind into the magnetosphere. One mechanism whereby this can occur is magnetic reconnection in the equatorial plane on compressed current sheets between vortices. In 2015, the NASA Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) mission observed this form of in‐plane reconnection during a KHI event in the post‐noon sector of the dayside magnetopause. We use data from MMS to investigate 12 KHI events at different positions along the magnetospheric flanks. For each event, we identify periodic compressed current sheets and perform Walén tests for each to identify reconnection jets. We then investigate the fraction of current sheets that exhibit reconnection signatures, and refer to it as the "event ratio." Results show that the event ratio decreases for events further down the magnetospheric flanks. Additionally, we investigate solar wind parameters during each event and find that the event ratio increases with an increasing northward component of the interplanetary magnetic field. Key Points: 12 Kelvin‐Helmholtz events observed by MMS are investigatedWe determine the fraction of current sheets where magnetic reconnection occursThe fraction of currents sheets with reconnection signatures correlates with northward interplanetary magnetic field strength [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
ISSN:21699380
DOI:10.1029/2023JA031583