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Direct Observations of Electron Firehose Fluctuations in the Magnetic Reconnection Outflow
Univ Helsinki, Dept Phys, Helsinki, Finland..
Uppsala University, Disciplinary Domain of Science and Technology, Physics, Swedish Institute of Space Physics, Uppsala Division.ORCID iD: 0000-0001-5550-3113
Uppsala University, Disciplinary Domain of Science and Technology, Physics, Swedish Institute of Space Physics, Uppsala Division.ORCID iD: 0000-0002-1046-746x
Uppsala University, Disciplinary Domain of Science and Technology, Physics, Swedish Institute of Space Physics, Uppsala Division.ORCID iD: 0000-0003-3725-4920
2023 (English)In: Journal of Geophysical Research - Space Physics, ISSN 2169-9380, E-ISSN 2169-9402, Vol. 128, no 5, article id e2022JA031128Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]

Electron temperature anisotropy-driven instabilities such as the electron firehose instability (EFI) are especially significant in space collisionless plasmas, where collisions are so scarce that wave-particle interactions are the leading mechanisms in the isotropization of the distribution function and energy transfer. Observational statistical studies provided convincing evidence in favor of the EFI constraining the electron distribution function and limiting the electron temperature anisotropy. Magnetic reconnection is characterized by regions of enhanced temperature anisotropy that could drive instabilities-including the electron firehose instability-affecting the particle dynamics and the energy conversion. However, in situ observations of the fluctuations generated by the EFI are still lacking and the interplay between magnetic reconnection and EFI is still largely unknown. In this study, we use high-resolution in situ measurements by the Magnetospheric Multiscale spacecraft to identify and investigate EFI fluctuations in the magnetic reconnection exhaust in the Earth's magnetotail. We find that the wave properties of the observed fluctuations largely agree with theoretical predictions of the non-propagating EF mode. These findings are further supported by comparison with the linear kinetic dispersion relation. Our results demonstrate that the magnetic reconnection outflow can be the seedbed of EFI and provide the first direct in situ observations of EFI-generated fluctuations.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
American Geophysical Union (AGU) , 2023. Vol. 128, no 5, article id e2022JA031128
Keywords [en]
plasma instabilities, electron firehose instability, magnetic reconnection, collisionless plasmas, spacecraft observations
National Category
Astronomy, Astrophysics and Cosmology Fusion, Plasma and Space Physics
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:uu:diva-505236DOI: 10.1029/2022JA031128ISI: 001000427100001OAI: oai:DiVA.org:uu-505236DiVA, id: diva2:1774341
Funder
Swedish National Space Board, 128/17Available from: 2023-06-26 Created: 2023-06-26 Last updated: 2023-06-26Bibliographically approved

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Khotyaintsev, Yuri V.Graham, Daniel B.André, Mats

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Astronomy, Astrophysics and CosmologyFusion, Plasma and Space Physics

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