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Detailed Reference Information
Shirataka et al. 2006
Shirataka, N., Fujimoto, M., Hasegawa, H. and TanDokoro, R. (2006). Reproducing the bipolar magnetic signature at the jet leading edge by three-dimensional reconnection with nonzero guide field. Journal of Geophysical Research 111: doi: 10.1029/2005JA011521. issn: 0148-0227.

A bipolar (southward-then-northward) signature of the Bz component at the leading edge of earthward jets in the magnetotail has often been reported. Here we try to reproduce this magnetic field feature by a three-dimensional reconnection (finite extent in the dawn-dusk direction) in the presence of a nonzero guide field (dawn-dusk magnetic component). Setting the guide field intensity by referring to earlier reports (Slavin et al., 2003) and setting the dawn-dusk extent of the reconnection region to an often quoted value (Angelopoulos et al., 1997), we managed to reproduce the bipolar signatures in three-dimensional (Hall) MHD simulation runs. Redirecting the argument, with the typical guide field intensity of By = 4 nT in the magnetotail, the southward peak value of Bz = -3 nT in the bipolar signature may be taken as the evidence that the dawn-dusk width of the reconnection region is ~4 RE (RE: Earth radii).

BACKGROUND DATA FILES

Abstract

Keywords
Magnetospheric Physics, Magnetic reconnection (7526, 7835), Magnetospheric Physics, Numerical modeling, Magnetospheric Physics, Plasma sheet, Magnetospheric Physics, Magnetotail
Journal
Journal of Geophysical Research
http://www.agu.org/journals/jb/
Publisher
American Geophysical Union
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