Hu, R. (Ren-Yu), Bogdanova, Y. V., Owen, C. J. (Christopher J.), Foullon, C. (Claire), Fazakerley, A. N. and Rème, H.. (2008) Cluster observations of the midaltitude cusp under strong northward interplanetary magnetic field. Journal of Geophysical Research, Vol.113 . ISSN 0148-0227

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Abstract

We report on a multispacecraft cusp observation lasting more than 100 min. We determine the cusp boundary motion and reveal the effect on the cusp size of the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) changing from southward to northward. The cusp shrinks at the beginning of the IMF rotation and it reexpands at the rate of 0.40° invariant latitude per hour under stable northward IMF. On the basis of plasma signatures inside the cusp, such as counterstreaming electrons with balanced fluxes, we propose that pulsed dual lobe reconnection operates during the time of interest. SC1 and SC4 observations suggest a long-term regular periodicity of the pulsed dual reconnection, which we estimate to be ~1–5 min. Further, the distances from the spacecraft to the reconnection site are estimated on the basis of observations from three satellites. The distance determined using SC1 and SC4 observations is ~15 RE and that determined from SC3 data is ~8 RE. The large-scale speed of the reconnection site sunward motion is ~16 km s-1. We observe also a fast motion of the reconnection site by SC1, which provides new information about the transitional phase after the IMF rotation. Finally, a statistical study of the dependency of plasma convection inside the cusp on the IMF clock angle is performed. The relationship between the cusp stagnation, the dual lobe reconnection process, and the IMF clock angle is discussed.

Item Type:	Journal Article
Subjects:	Q Science > QB Astronomy
Divisions:	Faculty of Science > Physics
Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH):	Polar cusp, Interplanetary magnetic fields
Journal or Publication Title:	Journal of Geophysical Research
Publisher:	American Geophysical Union
ISSN:	0148-0227
Date:	2008
Volume:	Vol.113
Identification Number:	10.1029/2007JA012726
Status:	Peer Reviewed
Access rights to Published version:	Open Access
Funder:	University College London, Guo jia zi ran ke xue ji jin wei yuan hui (China) [National Natural Science Foundation of China] (NSFC), Qing hua da xue (Beijing, China) [Tsinghua University], Science and Technology Facilities Council (Great Britain) (STFC)
Grant number:	10533020 (NSFC), SRFDP 20050003088 (Tsinghua)
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URI:	http://wrap.warwick.ac.uk/id/eprint/4347

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