Auroral evidence for multiple reconnection in the magnetospheric tail plasma sheet

Abstract

We present auroral evidence for multiple and, most probably, small-scale reconnection in the near-Earth magnetospheric plasma sheet current layer during auroral activity. Hall currents as the source of upward and downward field-aligned currents require the generation of the corresponding electron fluxes. The auroral spatial ordering in a multiple sequence of these fluxes requires the assumption of the existence of several —and possibly— even many tailward reconnection sites.

BibTeX
@article{id1370,
  author = {Treumann, R. A. and Jaroschek, C. H. and Pottelette, R.},
  doi = {10.1209/0295-5075/85/49001},
  journal = {Europhysics Letters},
  language = {en},
  note = {Letter, theoretical},
  pages = {49001},
  title = {Auroral evidence for multiple reconnection in the magnetospheric tail plasma sheet},
  volume = {85},
  year = {2009},
}
EndNote
%O Journal Article
%A Treumann, R. A.
%A Jaroschek, C. H.
%A Pottelette, R.
%R 10.1209/0295-5075/85/49001
%J Europhysics Letters
%G en
%O Letter, theoretical
%P 49001
%T Auroral evidence for multiple reconnection in the magnetospheric tail plasma sheet
%V 85
%D 2009