Journal article
The Heliospheric Current Sheet and Plasma Sheet during Parker Solar Probe's First Orbit
Astrophysical journal. Letters, Vol.894(2), p.L19
05/01/2020
DOI: 10.3847/2041-8213/ab8d2d
Abstract
We present heliospheric current sheet (HCS) and plasma sheet (HPS) observations during Parker Solar Probe's (PSP) first orbit around the Sun. We focus on the eight intervals that display a true sector boundary (TSB; based on suprathermal electron pitch angle distributions) with one or several associated current sheets. The analysis shows that (1) the main density enhancements in the vicinity of the TSB and HCS are typically associated with electron strahl dropouts, implying magnetic disconnection from the Sun, (2) the density enhancements are just about twice that in the surrounding regions, suggesting mixing of plasmas from each side of the HCS, (3) the velocity changes at the main boundaries are either correlated or anticorrelated with magnetic field changes, consistent with magnetic reconnection, (4) there often exists a layer of disconnected magnetic field just outside the high-density regions, in agreement with a reconnected topology, (5) while a few cases consist of short-lived density and velocity changes, compatible with short-duration reconnection exhausts, most events are much longer and show the presence of flux ropes interleaved with higher-β regions. These findings are consistent with the transient release of density blobs and flux ropes through sequential magnetic reconnection at the tip of the helmet streamer. The data also demonstrate that, at least during PSP's first orbit, the only structure that may be defined as the HPS is the density structure that results from magnetic reconnection, and its byproducts, likely released near the tip of the helmet streamer.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- The Heliospheric Current Sheet and Plasma Sheet during Parker Solar Probe's First Orbit
- Creators
- B Lavraud - Centre d'étude spatiale des rayonnementsN Fargette - Université de Toulouse IRAP, CNRS, UPS, CNES, Toulouse, FranceV Réville - Université de Toulouse IRAP, CNRS, UPS, CNES, Toulouse, FranceA Szabo - Goddard Space Flight CenterJ Huang - University of Michigan–Ann ArborA. P Rouillard - School of Physics and Astronomy [Southampton]N Viall - Goddard Space Flight CenterT. D Phan - University of California Space Sciences Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, USAJ. C Kasper - University of Michigan–Ann ArborS. D Bale - University of California Physics Department, Berkeley, CA, USAM Berthomier - Laboratoire de Physique des PlasmasJ. W Bonnell - University of California Space Sciences Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, USAA. W Case - Smithsonian Astrophysical ObservatoryT Dudok de Wit - Université d'OrléansJ. P Eastwood - Imperial College LondonV Génot - Université de Toulouse IRAP, CNRS, UPS, CNES, Toulouse, FranceK Goetz - University of MinnesotaL. S Griton - Université de Toulouse IRAP, CNRS, UPS, CNES, Toulouse, FranceJ. S Halekas - Department of Physics and Astronomy [Iowa City]P Harvey - University of California Space Sciences Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, USAR Kieokaew - Université de Toulouse IRAP, CNRS, UPS, CNES, Toulouse, FranceK. G Klein - University of ArizonaK. E Korreck - Laboratoire de Physique des PlasmasA Kouloumvakos - Université de Toulouse IRAP, CNRS, UPS, CNES, Toulouse, FranceD. E Larson - University of California Space Sciences Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, USAM Lavarra - Université de Toulouse IRAP, CNRS, UPS, CNES, Toulouse, FranceR Livi - University of California Space Sciences Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, USAP Louarn - Centre d'étude spatiale des rayonnementsR. J MacDowall - Goddard Space Flight CenterM Maksimovic - Observatoire de ParisD Malaspina - Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space PhysicsT Nieves-Chinchilla - Goddard Space Flight CenterR. F Pinto - Université de Toulouse IRAP, CNRS, UPS, CNES, Toulouse, FranceN Poirier - Centre de Recherche en Transplantation et ImmunologieM Pulupa - University of California Space Sciences Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, USAN. E Raouafi - Johns Hopkins UniversityM. L Stevens - Smithsonian Astrophysical ObservatoryS Toledo-Redondo - Universidad de MurciaP. L Whittlesey - University of California Space Sciences Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, USA
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Astrophysical journal. Letters, Vol.894(2), p.L19
- Publisher
- The American Astronomical Society
- DOI
- 10.3847/2041-8213/ab8d2d
- ISSN
- 2041-8205
- eISSN
- 2041-8213
- Number of pages
- 8
- Alternative title
- The Heliospheric Current Sheet and Plasma Sheet during Parker Solar Probe's First Orbit
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 05/01/2020
- Academic Unit
- Physics and Astronomy
- Record Identifier
- 9984428832702771
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