Observations of Electron Vorticity and Phase Space Holes in the Magnetopause Reconnection Separatrix | CU Experts

We report Magnetospheric MultiScale (MMS) observations of two electron; vortices with a roughly 10 km or 2-3 electron skin depths cross-section; across the magnetospheric separatrix of a dayside magnetopause; reconnection. The enhanced electron vorticity, which is caused by a; significant velocity shear in the electron flows streaming in opposite; directions along northward-directed magnetic field lines, leads to; perturbations perpendicular to the reconnecting magnetic field on the; order of 1-2 nT. The high electron vorticity periods are also associated; with electron phase space holes having the largest bipolar parallel; electric field amplitudes $sim$ 25 mV/m observed; across this exhaust. Less intense $sim$ 10 mV/m; electron phase space holes propagate along a northward magnetic field; away from the X-line within a northward reconnection exhaust. The; electron phase space holes with the largest bipolar parallel electric; fields are observed to propagate toward the X-line within discrete; channels of southward and super-Alfv’{e}nic 1500 km/s; electron flows in the magnetospheric separatrix layer.

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