Dayside magnetopause reconnection and flux transfer events: BepiColombo earth-Flyby observations | CU Experts

Abstract. This study analyzes the flux transfer event (FTE)-type flux ropes and magnetic reconnection around the dayside magnetopause during BepiColombo’s Earth flyby. The magnetosheath corresponds to a high plasma β (~ 8) and the IMF has a significant radial component. Six flux ropes are identified. The motion of flux rope together with the maximum magnetic shear model suggests that the reconnection X-line swipes BepiColombo near the magnetic equator due to an increase of the radial IMF. The flux rope with the highest flux content contains a clear coalescence signature, i.e., two smaller flux ropes merging, supporting theoretical predictions the flux content of flux ropes can grow through coalescence. The secondary reconnection associated with coalescence exhibits a large normalized guide field and a reconnection rate comparable to the reconnection rate measured at the magnetopause (~ 0.1).;

Sun W; Slavin JA; Nakamura R; Heyner D; Trattner KJ; Mieth JZD; Zhao J; Zong Q-G; Aizawa S; Andre N

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