Final published version
Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
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TY - JOUR
T1 - Corotating Magnetic Reconnection Site in Saturn's Magnetosphere
AU - Yao, Z. H.
AU - Coates, A. J.
AU - Ray, L. C.
AU - Rae, I. J.
AU - Grodent, D.
AU - Jones, Geraint H.
AU - Dougherty, M. K.
AU - Owen, C. J.
AU - Guo, R. L.
AU - Dunn, W. R.
AU - Radioti, A.
AU - Pu, Z. Y.
AU - Lewis, G. R.
AU - Waite, J. H.
AU - Gerard, J. -C.
PY - 2017/9/7
Y1 - 2017/9/7
N2 - Using measurements from the Cassini spacecraft in Saturn's magnetosphere, we propose a 3D physical picture of a corotating reconnection site, which can only be driven by an internally generated source. Our results demonstrate that the corotating magnetic reconnection can drive an expansion of the current sheet in Saturn's magnetosphere and, consequently, can produce Fermi acceleration of electrons. This reconnection site lasted for longer than one of Saturn's rotation period. The long-lasting and corotating natures of the magnetic reconnection site at Saturn suggest fundamentally different roles of magnetic reconnection in driving magnetospheric dynamics (e.g., the auroral precipitation) from the Earth. Our corotating reconnection picture could also potentially shed light on the fast rotating magnetized plasma environments in the solar system and beyond.
AB - Using measurements from the Cassini spacecraft in Saturn's magnetosphere, we propose a 3D physical picture of a corotating reconnection site, which can only be driven by an internally generated source. Our results demonstrate that the corotating magnetic reconnection can drive an expansion of the current sheet in Saturn's magnetosphere and, consequently, can produce Fermi acceleration of electrons. This reconnection site lasted for longer than one of Saturn's rotation period. The long-lasting and corotating natures of the magnetic reconnection site at Saturn suggest fundamentally different roles of magnetic reconnection in driving magnetospheric dynamics (e.g., the auroral precipitation) from the Earth. Our corotating reconnection picture could also potentially shed light on the fast rotating magnetized plasma environments in the solar system and beyond.
KW - acceleration of particles
KW - magnetic fields
KW - magnetic reconnection
KW - plasmas
KW - DIPOLARIZING FLUX BUNDLES
KW - FIELD
KW - MAGNETOTAIL
KW - PLASMOIDS
KW - SUBSTORM
U2 - 10.3847/2041-8213/aa88af
DO - 10.3847/2041-8213/aa88af
M3 - Journal article
VL - 846
JO - Astrophysical Journal Letters
JF - Astrophysical Journal Letters
SN - 2041-8205
IS - 2
M1 - 25
ER -