Much of the plasma and magnetic flux transport in the magnetotail occurs in the form of transient flow enhancements. They carry significant northward magnetic field intensifications and may cumulatively account for a large portion of the entire earthward flux transport. This alone makes them fundamentally important elementary building blocks of magnetospheric dynamics. These mesoscale structures also play a significant role in the energization of plasma sheet particles, the build-up of the ring current and radiation belts, current generation, kinetic wave generation and particle scattering. Additionally, they mediate magnetosphere-ionosphere coupling through associated mesoscale auroral forms and energy deposition from the magnetosphere to the ionosphere. It is thus important to characterize both global and micro-scale consequences of these mesoscale dynamics. This session solicits contributions using in situ and/or ground-based observations along with theory and global or regional models that incorporate mesoscale processes to examine their impacts.

• SA - SPA-Aeronomy