The reflection of solar wind electrons at the bow shock helps define the physical properties of the foreshock, the region where the interplanetary magnetic field directly connects to the bow shock. We report that the strahl, the field-aligned component of the electron solar wind distribution, appears to be nearly fully reflected at the bow shock and that the reflection occurs in the foot of the shock, implying that mirroring is not the primary cause of the electron reflection.

Observations during periods when the solar wind has a speed < 425 km s⁻¹ show that it is not uncommon to find no strahl present in the data. The research was done in response to observations and was performed through a detailed study of the electron velocity distribution functions. The conclusion arrived at is that the absence of the strahl appears to occur within individual flux tubes, which may indicate that the source lies in the solar corona where the strahl is formed.

Using Cluster data we have noted observations of diffusion-like signatures in the energy range where the the solar wind halo and strahl populations overlap. This includes the development of a proto-halo. At present the source of this diffusion is not known or understood. The prime analysis was carried out through the use of phi–theta plots at individual energy steps. The motivation was to understand if repartitioning in energy was occurring at these locations.

This paper presents recent highlights from the Cluster mission on solar wind turbulence, magnetopause asymmetries and magnetosheath density enhancements, dipolarisation currents, reconnection variability, FTE in greatest detail, plasmaspheric wind and re-filling of the plasmasphere, radiation belts, updates of magnetospheric electric and magnetic field models, and magnetosheath and magnetopause properties under low Mach number. Public access to all high-resolution data (CSA) is also presented.