Electron mirror branch: observational evidence from “historical” AMPTE-IRM and Equator-S measurements

Treumann, Rudolf A.; Baumjohann, Wolfgang

doi:https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-36-1563-2018

Articles | Volume 36, issue 6

https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-36-1563-2018

© Author(s) 2018. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-36-1563-2018

© Author(s) 2018. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Articles | Volume 36, issue 6

ANGEO Communicates

|

28 Nov 2018

ANGEO Communicates |

| 28 Nov 2018

Electron mirror branch: observational evidence from “historical” AMPTE-IRM and Equator-S measurements

Rudolf A. Treumann and Wolfgang Baumjohann

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Final revised paper (published on 28 Nov 2018)
Preprint (discussion started on 31 Jan 2018)

Interactive discussion

Status: closed

AC: Author comment | RC: Referee comment | SC: Short comment | EC: Editor comment

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- Supplement

RC1: 'electron mirror modes', Anonymous Referee #1, 26 Feb 2018
- AC1: 'Review AR#1', Rudolf Treumann, 16 Mar 2018
RC2: 'Comments on “Observational support for the electron mirror mode: AMPTE-IRM and Equator-S measurements in the magnetosheath” by Rudolf A. Treumann and Wolfgang Baumjohann', Anonymous Referee #2, 01 Mar 2018
- AC2: 'Reply to AR#2', Rudolf Treumann, 16 Mar 2018

Peer-review completion

AR: Author's response | RR: Referee report | ED: Editor decision

ED: Reconsider after major revisions (further review by editor and referees) (29 Mar 2018) by Yoshizumi Miyoshi

AR by Rudolf Treumann on behalf of the Authors (04 Apr 2018) Manuscript

ED: Referee Nomination & Report Request started (11 Jun 2018) by Yoshizumi Miyoshi

RR by Anonymous Referee #2 (17 Jul 2018)

ED: Reconsider after major revisions (further review by editor and referees) (30 Jul 2018) by Yoshizumi Miyoshi

AR by Rudolf Treumann on behalf of the Authors (06 Aug 2018) Manuscript

ED: Referee Nomination & Report Request started (09 Aug 2018) by Yoshizumi Miyoshi

RR by Anonymous Referee #2 (06 Sep 2018)

RR by Anonymous Referee #3 (29 Oct 2018)

Suggestions for revision or reasons for rejection

Revisiting data sets from the AMPTE-IRM and the Equator-S missions, the authors suggest that the already well-known ion mirror mode trapping electrons which generate low frequency whistler mode wave (lion roars) could also host the electron mirror mode which, in its turn, would trap electrons able to generate high-frequency whistler mode waves. The authors also indicate that quasi-linear theory is not relevant for the understanding of the saturation of such mirror modes in the magnetosheath conditions and discuss the possibility of the development of a weak kinetic turbulence.

These statements are mainly based on theoretical arguments while observational evidences are limited by the low resolution of data as well as the absence of plasma measurements (in case of the Equator-S mission).

Considering the ion mirror mode and the trapped lion roars, the authors have sufficiently well related the measurements to previous theoretical as well as observational results (anti-phase of the magnitude of the magnetic field and the density). With regard to the electron mirror mode which would trap electrons able to generate the high frequency whistler mode waves, the authors reach the limits of what they can extract from their dataset. Therefore this latter part can only be written using conditional and as suggested by the auhors will require confirmation by future more comprehensive measurements.

However, it seems to the reviewer that the conclusions of the present study, even using conditional, can be very inspiring for future investigations especially based on the new dataset of the MMS mission with high time and spatial resolutions as suggested by the authors. Therefore, I recommand the present work for publication after minor revisions given below.

Minor comments :

Page 2, line 21 : « Here we demonstrate .. » should be replaced by « Here we suggest .. »
Page 9, line 17 : « being somewhat shorter in parallel wavelength ... » should be replaced by « being somewhat longer in parallel wavelength ... »
Page 13, line 8 : « ...has no effect at all on the global level of anisotropy ... » this statement seems to be a little bit exaggerated and contradictory with the statement written page 12, line 15 « A low level of bulk pressure/temperature anisotropy will always be retained even quasilinearly ». The authors could attenuate and/or discuss their statement and quote for instance Sydora et al., GRL, 2007. Indeed using PIC simulations, these authors showed that the initial electron temperature anisotropy is reduced (but not cancelled) due to the parallel heating of the electrons by the wave/particle interaction.
Page 13, line 15 : replacing « exhausting » by « exhaustive » would be more appropriate and unambiguous.
Page 14, line 24 : « for in any weak turbulence»

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ED: Reject (11 Sep 2018) by Yoshizumi Miyoshi

ED: Publish subject to minor revisions (review by editor) (12 Nov 2018) by Yoshizumi Miyoshi

AR by Rudolf Treumann on behalf of the Authors (12 Nov 2018) Author's response Manuscript

ED: Publish as is (15 Nov 2018) by Yoshizumi Miyoshi

AR by Rudolf Treumann on behalf of the Authors (15 Nov 2018)