Characteristics of Intense Current-carrying Structures in the Terrestrial Magnetosheath | CU Experts

We exploit novel “string-of-pearls” configuration of NASA’s; Magnetospheric Multiscale mission to investigate properties of; structures within the Earth’s magnetosheath that are short in duration; but carry intense currents. Previous work has shown that the j.E energy; conversion within current structures processes of order 10% of the; total energy flux incident at the bow shock. This makes these events; important contributors to the overall shock energy budget and ongoing; thermalization within the magnetosheath. The present study, under very; similar solar wind conditions and bow shock geometries, reveals; significant qualitative differences from the previous study. Moreover,; we find only modest, if any coherence, on scales <1000 km. We; explore the implication of these observations in terms of both bow shock; and turbulence energy transfer and dissipation.

Schwartz S; Kucharek H; Farrugia C; Trattner K; Gingell I; Chasapis A; Gershman D; Strangeway R

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