Direct Evidence for a Three-Dimensional Magnetic Flux Rope Flanked by Two Active Magnetic Reconnection X Lines at Earth's Magnetopause

作者：Oieroset M^*; Phan T D; Eastwood J P; Fujimoto M; Daughton W; Shay M A; Angelopoulos V; Mozer F S; McFadden J P; Larson D E; Glassmeier K H

来源：Physical Review Letters, 2011, 107(16): 165007.

DOI：10.1103/PhysRevLett.107.165007

We report the direct detection by three THEMIS spacecraft of a magnetic flux rope flanked by two active X lines producing colliding plasma jets near the center of the flux rope. The observed density depletion and open magnetic field topology inside the flux rope reveal important three-dimensional effects. There was also evidence for nonthermal electron energization within the flux rope core where the fluxes of 1-4 keV superthermal electrons were higher than those in the converging reconnection jets. The observed ion and electron energizations differ from current theoretical predictions.

• 出版日期2011-10-13