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1999 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary

Restive MHD Instability and Bursty Bulk Flow in the Earth's Magnetotail

Research Project

Project/Area Number 09640535
Research Category

Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)

Allocation TypeSingle-year Grants
Section一般
Research Field Space and upper atmospheric physics
Research InstitutionThe University of Tokyo (1999)
Institute of Space and Astronautical Science (1997-1998)

Principal Investigator

HOSHLNO Masahiro  Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Professor, 大学院・理学系研究科, 教授 (90241257)

Project Period (FY) 1997 – 1999
KeywordsMagnetic Reconnection / Plasma Kinetics / Magnetotail / Ballooning Instability / Numerical Simulation / GEOTAIL Satellite
Research Abstract

Our objective is to understand both the kinetic behavior of magnetic reconnection in the Earth's magnetotail and its related plasma instabilities. Firstly, on the basis of the GEOTAIL satellite observations, it is found that the thickness of the macroscopic plasma sheet becomes of the order of the ion gyro-radius in the Earth's magnetotail reconnection. This observation is suggestive the existence of a strong coupling system between the macro-scale and the micro-scale with the magnetic reconnection. We studied the small-scale plasma dynamics where the Hall electric current plays an important role on the evolution of the global plasma sheet structure. By using a large-scale particle-in-cell simulation, we found that (1) the magnitude of Hall electric current becomes of the order of the dawn-dusk reconnection electric current, (2) the strong Hall electric current can excite the large electric fields in the reconnection plane, (3) the wave-particle interaction of the excited electric field and electrons can produce a wide variety of non-Maxwell electron distribution functions, and (4) the high energy non-thermal electrons are also produced during the above process. We have also studied the coupling of the reconnection mode to the interchange mode such as the ballooning mode in the resistive MHD framework. Several preliminary important results that should be studied further were found.

  • Research Products

    (12 results)

All Other

All Publications (12 results)

  • [Publications] M. Hoshino: "Slow Shock Downstream Structure in the Magnetotail"J. Geophys. Res.. 105. 337-347 (2000)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(和文)」より
  • [Publications] T. Mukai: "Geotail Observations of Magnetic Reconnection in the Near-Earth Magnetotail"Adv. Space Res.. (in press). (2000)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(和文)」より
  • [Publications] M. Hoshino: "Small Scale Plasmoids in the Post-Plasmoid Plasma Sheet: Origin of MHD Turbulence?"Adv. Space Res.. (in press).

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(和文)」より
  • [Publications] M. Hoshino: "Non-Gyrotropic Ions as Evidence for an X-type Neutral Region"Adv. Space Res.. (in press). (2000)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(和文)」より
  • [Publications] I. Shinohara: "Electron Heating Processes of the Lower Hybrid Drift Instability"Adv. Space Res.. 24. 43-46 (1999)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(和文)」より
  • [Publications] R. Walker: "Source and Loss Processes in the Magnetotail"Space Sci. Rev.. 88. 285-353 (1999)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(和文)」より
  • [Publications] M. Hoshino et al.: "Slow Shock Downstream Structure m the Magnetotail"J. Geophys. Res.. 105. 337-347 (2000)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(欧文)」より
  • [Publications] T. Mukai et al.: "Geotail Observations of Magnetic Reconnection in the Near-Earth Magnetotail"Adv. Space Res.. (in press). (2000)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(欧文)」より
  • [Publications] M. Hoshino et al.: "Small Scale Plasmoids in the Post-Plasmoid Plasma Sheet : Origin of MHD Turbulence?"Adv. Space Res.. (in press). (2000)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(欧文)」より
  • [Publications] M. Hoshino et al.: "Non-Gyrotropic Ions as Evidence for an X-type Neutral Region"Adv. Space Res.. (in press). (2000)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(欧文)」より
  • [Publications] I. Shinohara and M. Hoshino: "Electron Heating Processes of the Lower Hybrid Drift Instability"Adv. Space Res.. 24. 43-46 (1999)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(欧文)」より
  • [Publications] R. Walker et al.: "Source and Loss Processes in the Magnetotail"Space Sci. Rev.. 88. 285-353 (1999)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(欧文)」より

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Published: 2001-10-23  

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