Timing mirror structures observed by Cluster with a magnetosheath flow model

0368231 - ÚFA 2012 RIV DE eng J - Journal Article
Génot, V. - Broussillou, L. - Budnik, E. - Hellinger, Petr - Trávníček, Pavel M. - Lucek, E. - Dandouras, I.
Timing mirror structures observed by Cluster with a magnetosheath flow model.
Annales Geophysicae. Roč. 29, č. 10 (2011), s. 1849-1860. ISSN 0992-7689. E-ISSN 1432-0576
Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z30420517; CEZ:AV0Z10030501
Keywords : Magnetospheric physics * Magnetosheath * Space plasma physics * Kinetic and MHD theory * Waves and instabilities
Subject RIV: BL - Plasma and Gas Discharge Physics
Impact factor: 1.842, year: 2011
http://www.ann-geophys.net/29/1849/2011/angeo-29-1849-2011.html

The evolution of structures associated with mirror modes during their flow in the Earth's magnetosheath is studied. The fact that the related magnetic fluctuations can take distinct shapes, from deep holes to high peaks, has been assessed in previous works on the observational, modeling and numerical points of view. In this paper we present an analytical model for the flow lines and velocity magnitude inside the magnetosheath. This model is used to interpret almost 10 years of Cluster observations of mirror structures: by back tracking each isolated observation to the shock, the "age", or flow time, of these structures is determined together with the geometry of the shock. Using this flow time the evolutionary path of the structures may be studied with respect to different quantities: the distance to mirror threshold, the amplitude of mirror fluctuations and the skewness of the magnetic amplitude distribution as a marker of the shape of the structures.
Permanent Link: http://hdl.handle.net/11104/0202629