Energy transport through Earth’s plasma sheet in 3-D
A statistical analysis of energy transport through Earth’s plasma sheet is performed using 6 years of Magnetospheric Multi-Scale (MMS) mission observations. The analysis entails a complete decomposition of the contributions to transport including the ion heat flux and enthalpy flux derived from the...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Astronomy and Space Sciences |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fspas.2024.1481448/full |
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| author | K. C. Barik C. C. Chaston |
| author_facet | K. C. Barik C. C. Chaston |
| author_sort | K. C. Barik |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | A statistical analysis of energy transport through Earth’s plasma sheet is performed using 6 years of Magnetospheric Multi-Scale (MMS) mission observations. The analysis entails a complete decomposition of the contributions to transport including the ion heat flux and enthalpy flux derived from the full ion pressure tensor to provide a three-dimensional (3-D) picture of plasma sheet energy transport. It is shown that the Poynting flux and enthalpy flux compete to dominate the total energy transport, while the heretofore ignored heat flux generally contributes a larger fraction of the total energy flux than the bulk kinetic energy flux. The spatial distribution of these fluxes are consistent with magnetic reconnection driven transport from an X-line statistically located at X∼−20RE. Kinetic fluxes stream Earthward from this point peaking mid-tail along the neutral sheet, while Poynting fluxes peak at higher latitudes and along the inner edge of the plasma sheet. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-fd8cdc240125450da6263e2b1ead220c |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2296-987X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Astronomy and Space Sciences |
| spelling | doaj-art-fd8cdc240125450da6263e2b1ead220c2025-01-06T06:59:25ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Astronomy and Space Sciences2296-987X2025-01-011110.3389/fspas.2024.14814481481448Energy transport through Earth’s plasma sheet in 3-DK. C. BarikC. C. ChastonA statistical analysis of energy transport through Earth’s plasma sheet is performed using 6 years of Magnetospheric Multi-Scale (MMS) mission observations. The analysis entails a complete decomposition of the contributions to transport including the ion heat flux and enthalpy flux derived from the full ion pressure tensor to provide a three-dimensional (3-D) picture of plasma sheet energy transport. It is shown that the Poynting flux and enthalpy flux compete to dominate the total energy transport, while the heretofore ignored heat flux generally contributes a larger fraction of the total energy flux than the bulk kinetic energy flux. The spatial distribution of these fluxes are consistent with magnetic reconnection driven transport from an X-line statistically located at X∼−20RE. Kinetic fluxes stream Earthward from this point peaking mid-tail along the neutral sheet, while Poynting fluxes peak at higher latitudes and along the inner edge of the plasma sheet.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fspas.2024.1481448/fullenergy transportplasma sheetmagnetotailmagnetic reconnectionion flow |
| spellingShingle | K. C. Barik C. C. Chaston Energy transport through Earth’s plasma sheet in 3-D Frontiers in Astronomy and Space Sciences energy transport plasma sheet magnetotail magnetic reconnection ion flow |
| title | Energy transport through Earth’s plasma sheet in 3-D |
| title_full | Energy transport through Earth’s plasma sheet in 3-D |
| title_fullStr | Energy transport through Earth’s plasma sheet in 3-D |
| title_full_unstemmed | Energy transport through Earth’s plasma sheet in 3-D |
| title_short | Energy transport through Earth’s plasma sheet in 3-D |
| title_sort | energy transport through earth s plasma sheet in 3 d |
| topic | energy transport plasma sheet magnetotail magnetic reconnection ion flow |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fspas.2024.1481448/full |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT kcbarik energytransportthroughearthsplasmasheetin3d AT ccchaston energytransportthroughearthsplasmasheetin3d |