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Heliospheric Current Sheet Distortions from Adjacent Outflowing Transients: Multi-spacecraft Observations
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Claire Foullon Submitted: 2009-11-02 03:09
The heliospheric current sheet (HCS) is a permanent solar wind feature, with well predicted Earth passages, but it can be structured and its main orientation can be highly distorted. We report new observations from 2 spacecraft in the solar wind (supported by observations from 3 spacecraft in the nightside magnetosheath), showing an evolution across the Sun-Earth line of large field reversals adjacent to the HCS. Contrary to a previously reported multi-spacecraft event, this case shows that the field inversion structure cannot be assumed to be well preserved and close to planar on the scale of the magnetospheric cross-section. However, both cases indicate the presence of field reversals in an away sector that is connected to the southern solar magnetic hemisphere but lies unexpectedly above a toward sector. Following the interpretation of the reversals as transient outflowing loops, associated initial flow deviations can be envisaged to account for the HCS deformations.
Authors: C. Foullon, B. Lavraud, C. J. Owen, A. N. Fazakerley and R.M. Skoug
Projects: None
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Publication Status: AIP Proc. 12th Solar Wind Conference, St. Malo, France, June 2009 (Refereed) accepted
Last Modified: 2009-11-02 07:54
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