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Jets and Mirror Mode Waves in Earth's Magnetosheath
X Blanco-Cano1, D Rojas-Castillo1, P Kajdič1
1Instituto de Geofísica Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México Circuito de la Investigación Científica s/n Ciudad Universitaria Mexico City Mexico.
Journal of Geophysical Research. Space Physics
|March 5, 2024
Summary
Magnetosheath jets, localized plasma structures, exhibit diverse internal characteristics and origins. Analysis reveals they can be linked to various phenomena or possess local sources, emphasizing the role of ion distributions in their classification.
Area of Science:
- Space Physics
- Plasma Physics
- Astrophysics
Background:
- Magnetosheath jets are high dynamic pressure plasma structures observed downstream of Earth's bow shock.
- These jets are frequently found in quasi-perpendicular magnetosheath regions, often associated with Mirror Mode Waves (MMWs).
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze the internal structure and potential origins of magnetosheath jets.
- To investigate the relationship between jets, Mirror Mode Waves, and different ion distribution functions.
Main Methods:
- Utilized Magnetospheric MultiScale (MMS) mission data, including magnetic field and plasma measurements.
- Analyzed jet structures, dynamic pressure, magnetic field signatures, velocity, density, and ion distribution functions.
Main Results:
- Identified magnetosheath jets with highly variable internal structures and properties.
- Found jets associated with traveling foreshocks, flux transfer events, and MMWs, suggesting diverse generation mechanisms.
- Observed different ion distribution functions within jets, including anisotropic and counterstreaming distributions, with MMWs modulating ion distributions.
Conclusions:
- Magnetosheath jets in the quasi-perpendicular region are not a monolithic phenomenon and likely arise from multiple sources.
- Some jets may have local origins independent of upstream structures.
- Ion distribution functions are crucial for identifying and classifying different types of magnetosheath jets.
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