Observations of 3-D Electric Fields and Waves Associated With Reconnection at the Dayside Magnetopause
Résumé
The phenomenon of magnetic reconnection, especially at electron scales, is still poorly understood. One process that warrants further investigation is the role of wave phenomenon in mediating magnetic reconnection. Previous observations have shown the presence of electrostatic solitary waves (ESWs) as well as whistler mode waves near the dayside reconnection site. Additionally, recent simulations have suggested that whistler waves might be generated by electron phase space holes associated with ESWs as they propagate along the magnetic separatrix towards the diffusion region. Other observations have shown ESWs with distinct speeds and time scales, suggesting that different instabilities generate the ESWs. NASA's recently launched Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) mission presents a unique opportunity to investigate the roles of wave phenomena, such as ESWs and whistlers, in asymmetric reconnection at the dayside magnetopause. We will present 3-D electric and magnetic field data from magnetopause crossings by MMS during its first dayside science phase. Burst mode wave data and electron distributions from all four spacecraft will be analyzed to investigate the origin of these wave phenomena, as well as their impact on the reconnection electric field.