H. K. Leinweber

An advanced approach to finding magnetometer zero levels in the interplanetary magnetic field

For a magnetometer that measures weak interplanetary fields, the in-flight determination of zero levels is a crucial step of the overall calibration procedure. This task is more difficult when a time-varying magnetic field of the spacecraft interferes with the surrounding natural magnetic field or when the spacecraft spends only short periods of time in the interplanetary magnetic field. Thus it is important to examine the algorithms by which these zero levels are determined, and optimize them. We find that the method presented by Davis and Smith (1968 EOS Trans. AGU 49 257) has significant mathematical advantages over that published by Belcher (1973 J. Geophys. Res. 71 5509) as well as over the correlation technique published by Hedgecock (1975 Space Sci. Instrum. 1 83–90). We present an alternative derivation of the Davis–Smith method which illustrates that it is also a correlation technique. It also works with first differences as well as filtered data as input. In contrast to the postulate by Hedgecock (1975 Space Sci. Instrum. 1 83–90), we find that using first differences in general provides no advantage in determining the zero levels. Our new algorithm obtains zero levels by searching for pure rotations of the interplanetary magnetic field, with a set of sophisticated selection criteria. With our algorithm, we require shorter periods (of the order of a few hours, depending on solar wind conditions) of interplanetary data for accurate zero level determination than previously published algorithms.

Whistler mode waves and Hall fields detected by MMS during a dayside magnetopause crossing

We present Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) mission measurements during a full magnetopause crossing associated with an enhanced southward ion flow. A quasi-steady magnetospheric whistler mode wave ...

Magnetopause Erosion During the 17 March 2015 Magnetic Storm: Combined Field-Aligned Currents, Auroral Oval, and Magnetopause Observations

We present multimission observations of field-aligned currents, auroral oval, and magnetopause crossings during the 17 March 2015 magnetic storm. Dayside reconnection is expected to transport magnetic flux, strengthen field-aligned currents, lead to polar cap expansion and magnetopause erosion. Our multimission observations assemble evidence for all these manifestations. After a prolonged period of strongly southward interplanetary magnetic field, Swarm and AMPERE observe significant intensification of field-aligned currents .The dayside auroral oval, as seen by DMSP, appears as a thin arc associated with ongoing dayside reconnection. Both the field-aligned currents and the auroral arc move equatorward reaching as low as approx. 60 deg. magnetic latitude. Strong magnetopause erosion is evident in the in situ measurements of the magnetopause crossings by GOES 13/15 and MMS. The coordinated Swarm, AMPERE, DMSP, MMS and GOES observations, with both global and in situ coverage of the key regions, provide a clear demonstration of the effects of dayside reconnection on the entire magnetosphere.

A comparative study of dipolarization fronts at MMS and Cluster.

Abstract We present a statistical study of dipolarization fronts (DFs), using magnetic field data from MMS and Cluster, at radial distances below 12 R E and 20 R E, respectively. Assuming that the DFs have a semicircular cross section and are propelled by the magnetic tension force, we used multispacecraft observations to determine the DF velocities. About three quarters of the DFs propagate earthward and about one quarter tailward. Generally, MMS is in a more dipolar magnetic field region and observes larger‐amplitude DFs than Cluster. The major findings obtained in this study are as follows: (1) At MMS ∼57 % of the DFs move faster than 150 km/s, while at Cluster only ∼35 %, indicating a variable flux transport rate inside the flow‐braking region. (2) Larger DF velocities correspond to higher B z values directly ahead of the DFs. We interpret this as a snow plow‐like phenomenon, resulting from a higher magnetic flux pileup ahead of DFs with higher velocities.

MMS Observations of Ion-scale Magnetic Island in the Magnetosheath Turbulent Plasma

In this letter, first observations of ion-scale magnetic island from the Magnetospheric Multiscale mission in the magnetosheath turbulent plasma are presented. The magnetic island is characterized ...

Multispacecraft analysis of dipolarization fronts and associated whistler wave emissions using MMS data

Dipolarization fronts (DFs), embedded in bursty bulk flows, play a crucial role in Earths plasma sheet dynamics because the energy input from the solar wind is partly dissipated in their vicinity. This dissipation is in the form of strong low-frequency waves that can heat and accelerate energetic electrons up to the high-latitude plasma sheet. However, the dynamics of DF propagation and associated low-frequency waves in the magnetotail are still under debate due to instrumental limitations and spacecraft separation distances. In May 2015 the Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) mission was in a string-of-pearls configuration with an average intersatellite distance of 160 km, which allows us to study in detail the microphysics of DFs. Thus, in this letter we employ MMS data to investigate the properties of dipolarization fronts propagating earthward and associated whistler mode wave emissions. We show that the spatial dynamics of DFs are below the ion gyroradius scale in this region (∼500 km), which can modify the dynamics of ions in the vicinity of the DF (e.g., making their motion nonadiabatic). We also show that whistler wave dynamics have a temporal scale of the order of the ion gyroperiod (a few seconds), indicating that the perpendicular temperature anisotropy can vary on such time scales.

Transient, small-scale field-aligned currents in the plasma sheet boundary layer during storm time substorms

Abstract We report on field‐aligned current observations by the four Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) spacecraft near the plasma sheet boundary layer (PSBL) during two major substorms on 23 June 2015. Small‐scale field‐aligned currents were found embedded in fluctuating PSBL flux tubes near the separatrix region. We resolve, for the first time, short‐lived earthward (downward) intense field‐aligned current sheets with thicknesses of a few tens of kilometers, which are well below the ion scale, on flux tubes moving equatorward/earthward during outward plasma sheet expansion. They coincide with upward field‐aligned electron beams with energies of a few hundred eV. These electrons are most likely due to acceleration associated with a reconnection jet or high‐energy ion beam‐produced disturbances. The observations highlight coupling of multiscale processes in PSBL as a consequence of magnetotail reconnection.

Electron Heating at Kinetic Scales in Magnetosheath Turbulence

We present a statistical study of coherent structures at kinetic scales, using data from the Magnetospheric Multiscale mission in the Earths magnetosheath. We implemented the multi-spacecraft part ...

Electrodynamic context of magnetopause dynamics observed by magnetospheric multiscale

Magnetopause observations by Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) and Birkeland currents observed by the Active Magnetosphere and Planetary Electrodynamics Response Experiment are used to relate magnetopause encounters to ionospheric electrodynamics. MMS magnetopause crossings on 15 August and 19 September 2015 occurred earthward of expectations due to solar wind ram pressure alone and coincided with equatorward expansion of the Birkeland currents. Magnetopause erosion, consistent with expansion of the polar cap, contributed to the magnetopause crossings. The ionospheric projections of MMS during the events and at times of the magnetopause crossings indicate that MMS observations are related to the main path of flux transport in one case but not in a second. The analysis provides a way to routinely relate in situ observations to the context of in situ convection and flux transport.

Ion cyclotron waves at Mars: Occurrence and wave properties

Ion cyclotron waves (ICWs) are generated during the interaction between the solar wind and the Martian exosphere in a process called ion pickup. Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) detected waves near the proton gyrofrequency, indicating pickup of the exospheric hydrogen. To analyze these waves, we first improve the zero levels of the MGS magnetic field data taken during the first aerobreaking phase and then perform a statistical study of the ICWs observed from just outside the Martian bow shock to over 14 Mars radii away. These ICW events typically last for 5 to 30 min but can occasionally last for hours. The wave power decreases slowly with distance on both the upstream and downstream sides. From the variation of wave properties with the strength of the background field, we find that there are likely still remaining offsets in at least some the data sets even after applying our calibration technique. Thus, we use the events with a strong background field to examine the wave properties that depend on an accurate determination of the field direction and strength. We find the pickup angle associated with the largest occurrence rate of ICWs to be around 45°, but neither the wave amplitude, nor wave frequency, nor wave duration appear to vary with pickup angle. Finally, we find the waves with background field strength greater than 4 nT occur on both the positive and negative electric field sides of Mars but have a larger occurrence rate on the side of Mars in the positive electric field direction (which is defined as the direction of the cross product of the magnetic field vector and solar wind flow vector).