The interaction between transpolar arcs and cusp spots
The interaction between transpolar arcs and cusp spots
Transpolar arcs and cusp spots are both auroral phenomena which occur when the interplanetary magnetic field is northward. Transpolar arcs are associated with magnetic reconnection in the magnetotail, which closes magnetic flux and results in a “wedge” of closed flux which remains trapped, embedded in the magnetotail lobe. The cusp spot is an indicator of lobe reconnection at the high-latitude magnetopause; in its simplest case, lobe reconnection redistributes open flux without resulting in any net change in the open flux content of the magnetosphere. We present observations of the two phenomena interacting—i.e., a transpolar arc intersecting a cusp spot during part of its lifetime. The significance of this observation is that lobe reconnection can have the effect of opening closed magnetotail flux. We argue that such events should not be rare.
9685-9693
Fear, R.C.
8755b9ed-c7dc-4cbb-ac9b-56235a0431ab
Milan, S.E.
4495fdee-b600-43e5-99f7-6193a849b7f5
Carter, J.A.
750f3f36-98fc-4729-acfe-60ded2bd23c1
Maggiolo, R.
fcff31b8-6923-4923-bec3-9fbe1ceb8cde
28 November 2015
Fear, R.C.
8755b9ed-c7dc-4cbb-ac9b-56235a0431ab
Milan, S.E.
4495fdee-b600-43e5-99f7-6193a849b7f5
Carter, J.A.
750f3f36-98fc-4729-acfe-60ded2bd23c1
Maggiolo, R.
fcff31b8-6923-4923-bec3-9fbe1ceb8cde
Fear, R.C., Milan, S.E., Carter, J.A. and Maggiolo, R.
(2015)
The interaction between transpolar arcs and cusp spots.
Geophysical Research Letters, 42 (22), .
(doi:10.1002/2015GL066194).
Abstract
Transpolar arcs and cusp spots are both auroral phenomena which occur when the interplanetary magnetic field is northward. Transpolar arcs are associated with magnetic reconnection in the magnetotail, which closes magnetic flux and results in a “wedge” of closed flux which remains trapped, embedded in the magnetotail lobe. The cusp spot is an indicator of lobe reconnection at the high-latitude magnetopause; in its simplest case, lobe reconnection redistributes open flux without resulting in any net change in the open flux content of the magnetosphere. We present observations of the two phenomena interacting—i.e., a transpolar arc intersecting a cusp spot during part of its lifetime. The significance of this observation is that lobe reconnection can have the effect of opening closed magnetotail flux. We argue that such events should not be rare.
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Accepted/In Press date: 2 November 2015
e-pub ahead of print date: 25 November 2015
Published date: 28 November 2015
Organisations:
Astronomy Group
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Local EPrints ID: 392777
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/392777
ISSN: 0094-8276
PURE UUID: 9a6fd552-5e9b-4b35-9d9f-fc981fc19128
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Date deposited: 15 Apr 2016 15:54
Last modified: 15 Mar 2024 03:49
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Author:
S.E. Milan
Author:
J.A. Carter
Author:
R. Maggiolo
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