Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Low-frequency fluctuations in the magnetosheath: Double Star TC-1 and Cluster observations

  • Published:
Science in China Series E: Technological Sciences Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The magnetic field variations are analyzed in the range of time periods from 4 s to 240 s in the magnetosheath observed by the Double Star TC-1 and Cluster in 2004. The characteristics of the magnetic field fluctuations are strongly controlled by the angle between the upstream interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) and the normal of the bow shock. Generally speaking, the magnetic field fluctuations in the quasi-parallel magnetosheath are more intense than those in the quasi-perpendicular ones. Almost purely compressional waves are found in the quasi-perpendicular magnetosheath. With the increase of the local plasma β, both the magnitude and direction of the magnetic field fluctuate more intensely. There exists an inverse correlation between the local temperature anisotropy T ⊥/T∥ and the plasma β.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Song P, Russell C T. What do we really know about the magnetosheath? Adv Space Res, 1997, 20(4–5): 747–765. doi:10.1016/S0273-1177(97)00466-3

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Sckopke N, Paschmann G, Brinca A L, et al. Ion thermalization in quasi-perpendicular shocks involving reflected ions. J Geophys Res, 1990, 95(A5): 6337–6352

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Gary S P. The mirror and ion-cyclotron anisotropy instabilities. J Geophys Res, 1992, 97(A6): 8519–8529

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Gary S P, Fuselier S A, Anderson B J. Ion anisotropy instabilities in the magnetosheath. J Geophys Res, 1993, 98(A2): 1481–1488

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Pokhotelov O A, Balikhin M A, Treumann R A, et al. Drift mirror instability revisited. 1. Cold electron temperature limit. J Geophys Res, 2001, 106(A5): 8455–8463. doi:10.1029/2000JA000069

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Anderson B J, Fuselier S A, Gary S P, et al. Magnetic spectral signatures in the earth’s magnetosheath and plasma depletion layer. J Geophys Res, 1994, 99(A4): 5877–5891. doi:10.1029/93JA02827

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Gary S P, Winske D. Simulations of ion cyclotron anisotropy instabilities in the terrestrial magnetosheath. J Geophys Res, 1993, 98(A6): 9171–9179

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. McKean M E, Winske D, Gary S P. Mirror and ion-cyclotron anisotropy instabilities in the magnetosheath. J Geophys Res, 1992, 97(A12): 19421–19432

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Fuselier S A, Anderson B J, Gary S P, et al. Inverse correlations between the ion temperature anisotropy and plasma-beta in the earth’s quasi-parallel magnetosheath. J Geophys Res, 1994, 99(A8): 14931–14936. doi:10.1029/94JA00865

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Song P, Russell C T, Thomsen M F. Waves in the inner magnetosheath—A case study. Geophys Res Lett, 1992, 19(22): 2191–2194

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Fazakerley A N, Southwood D J. Mirror instability in the magnetosheath. Adv Space Res, 1994, 14(7): 65–68. doi:10.1016/0273-1177(94)90049-3

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Engebretson M J, Lin N, Baumjohann W, et al. A comparison of ULF fluctuations in the solar-wind, magnetosheath, and dayside magnetosphere. 1. Magnetosheath morphology. J Geophys Res, 1991, 96(A3): 3441–3454

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Fairfield D H. Magnetic-fields of magnetosheath. Rev Geophys, 1976, 14(1): 117–133

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Shevyrev N N, Zastenker G N. Some features of the plasma flow in the magnetosheath behind quasi-parallel and quasi-perpendicular bow shocks. Planet Space Sci, 2005, 53(1–3): 95–102. doi: 10.1016/j.pss.2004.09.033

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Spreiter J R, Summers A L, Alksne A Y. Hydromagnetic flow around the magnetosphere. Planet Space Sci, 1966, 14(3): 223

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Carr C, Brown P, Zhang T L, et al. The Double Star magnetic field investigation: Instrument design, performance and highlights of the first year’s observations. Ann Geophys, 2005, 23(8): 2713–2732

    Google Scholar 

  17. Rème H, Dandouras I, Aoustin C, et al. The HIA instrument on board the Tan Ce 1 Double Star near-equatorial spacecraft and its first results. Ann Geophys, 2005, 23(8): 2757–2774

    Google Scholar 

  18. Balogh A, Carr C M, Acuna M H, et al. The Cluster magnetic field investigation: Overview of in-flight performance and initial results. Ann Geophys, 2001, 19(10): 1207–1217

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Rème H, Aoustin C, Bosqued M, et al. First multispacecraft ion measurements in and near the Earth’s magnetosphere with the identical Cluster ion spectrometry (CIS) experiment. Ann Geophys, 2001, 19(10): 1303–1354

    Google Scholar 

  20. Shue J H, Chao J K, Fu H C, et al. A new functional form to study the solar wind control of the magnetopause size and shape. J Geophys Res, 1997, 102(A5): 9497–9511. doi:10.1029/97JA00196

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Lin N, Engebretson M J, McPherron R L, et al. A comparison of ULF fluctuations in the solar wind, magnetosheath, and dayside magnetosphere. 2. Field and plasma conditions in the magnetosheath. J Geophys Res, 1991, 96(A3): 3455–3464

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Chisham G, Schwartz S J, Balikhin M A, et al. AMPTE observations of mirror mode waves in the magnetosheath: Wavevector determination. J Geophys Res, 1999, 104(A1): 437–447. doi: 10.1029/1998JA900044

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Song P, Russell C T, Thomsen M F. Slow mode transition in the frontside magnetosheath. J Geophys Res, 1992, 97(A6): 8295–8305

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Song P, Russell C T, Gary S P. Identification of low-frequency fluctuations in the terrestrial magnetosheath. J Geophys Res, 1994, 99(A4): 6011–6025. doi:10.1029/93JA03300

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. Stone E C, Frandsen A M, Mewaldt R A, et al. The advanced composition explorer. Space Sci Rev, 1998, 86(1–4): 1–22. doi:10.1023/A:1005082526237

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. Denton R E, Anderson B J, Gary S P, et al. Bounded anisotropy fluid model for ion temperatures. J Geophys Res, 1994, 99(A6): 11225–11241. doi:10.1029/94JA00272

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Laboratory of Space Weather, Center for Space Science and Applied Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, China

    Jian Du & Chi Wang

  2. Graduate School, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China

    Jian Du

  3. Earth, Environmental and Atmospheric Sciences Department, University of Massachusetts, Lowell, Massachusetts MA, 01854, USA

    Pu Song

  4. Center for Atmospheric Research, University of Massachusetts, Lowell, Massachusetts MA, 01854, USA

    Pu Song

  5. Space Research Institute, Austrian Academy of Sciences, Graz, A-8010, Austria

    TieLong Zhang

Authors
  1. Jian Du
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Chi Wang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Pu Song
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. TieLong Zhang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jian Du.

Additional information

Supported by the CAS (Grant No. KJCX2-YW-T13) and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 40621003, 40628003, 40390150)

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Du, J., Wang, C., Song, P. et al. Low-frequency fluctuations in the magnetosheath: Double Star TC-1 and Cluster observations. Sci. China Ser. E-Technol. Sci. 51, 1626–1638 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11431-008-0250-2

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11431-008-0250-2

Keywords

Search

Navigation