08 Nov 2005
08 Nov 2005
Plasma flow channels with ULF waves observed by Cluster and Double Star
M. Volwerk1,2, T. L. Zhang1, R. Nakamura1, A. Runov1, W. Baumjohann1, K.-H. Glassmeier3, T. Takada1, H. U. Eichelberger1, C. M. Carr4, A. Balogh4, B. Klecker2, and H. Rème5
M. Volwerk et al.
M. Volwerk1,2, T. L. Zhang1, R. Nakamura1, A. Runov1, W. Baumjohann1, K.-H. Glassmeier3, T. Takada1, H. U. Eichelberger1, C. M. Carr4, A. Balogh4, B. Klecker2, and H. Rème5
- 1Space Research Institute, Austrian Academy of Sciences, A-8042 Graz, Austria
- 2Max-Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics, D-85741 Garching, Germany
- 3TU Braunschweig, D-38106 Braunschweig, Germany
- 4Imperial College, London, SW7 2AZ, UK
- 5CESR/CNRS, F-31028 Toulouse, France
- 1Space Research Institute, Austrian Academy of Sciences, A-8042 Graz, Austria
- 2Max-Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics, D-85741 Garching, Germany
- 3TU Braunschweig, D-38106 Braunschweig, Germany
- 4Imperial College, London, SW7 2AZ, UK
- 5CESR/CNRS, F-31028 Toulouse, France
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Abstract. On 14 August 2004 a large-scale magnetic structure was observed by Double Star TC-1 in the southern lobe and by Cluster in the northern lobe of the magnetotail. The structure has the signature of a (localized) dipolarization, decreasing Bx accompanied by an increasing Bz and a strong earthward flow. The propagation direction of this structure, however, seems to be more in the dawnward direction than earthward. The structure is accompanied by ULF waves with a period of ~5 min, which are simultaneously observed by the ground magnetometer station DIK, at the magnetic footpoints of the spacecraft. We interprete these waves as modes driven by the plasma flow and propagating in the flow channel.
