Generation mechanism of the whistler-mode waves in the plasma sheet prior to magnetic reconnection

0423090 - ÚFA 2014 RIV GB eng J - Journal Article
Wei, X. H. - Cao, J. B. - Zhou, G. C. - Fu, H. S. - Santolík, Ondřej - Reme, H. - Dandouras, I. - Cornilleau, N. - Fazakerley, A.
Generation mechanism of the whistler-mode waves in the plasma sheet prior to magnetic reconnection.
Advances in Space Research. Roč. 52, č. 1 (2013), s. 205-210. ISSN 0273-1177. E-ISSN 1879-1948
Institutional support: RVO:68378289
Keywords : whistler-mode waves * electron temperature anisotropy * Reconnection * the plasma sheet
Subject RIV: BL - Plasma and Gas Discharge Physics
Impact factor: 1.238, year: 2013
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0273117713001221

The whistler-mode waves and electron temperature anisotropy play a key role prior to and during magnetic reconnection. On August 21, 2002, the Cluster spacecrafts encountered a quasi-collisionless magnetic reconnection event when they crossed the plasma sheet. Prior to the southward turning of magnetospheric magnetic field and high speed ion flow, the whistler-mode waves and positive electron temperature anisotropy are simultaneously observed. Theoretic analysis shows that the electrons with positive temperature anisotropy can excite the whistler-mode waves via cyclotron resonances. Using the data of particles and magnetic field, we estimated the whistler-mode wave growth rate and the ratio of whistler-mode growth rate to wave frequency. They are 0.0016f(ce) (Electron cyclotron frequency) and 0.0086f(ce), respectively. Therefore the whistler-mode waves can grow quickly in the current sheet. The combined observations of energetic electron beams and waves show that after the southward turning of magnetic field, energetic electrons in the reconnection process are accelerated by the whistler-mode waves. (C) 2013 COSPAR. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Permanent Link: http://hdl.handle.net/11104/0229164