Flux Transfer Events Occurrence for Different Solar Wind Conditions

Abstract:

Flux transfer events (FTE) are interpreted as results of transient magnetic reconnection and are observed in the vicinity of the Earth’s magnetopause. Their main signatures in satellite data are bipolar variation in the magnetic field component normal to the magnetopause, centered in an enhanced magnetic field strength. Surveys have reported that FTEs can be observed along the entire dayside magnetopause surface although there is no general consensus where they are generated nor how far they can travel before evolving or disappearing. They occur preferentially during intervals when the north-south component B_Z of the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) is southward, corroborating the hypothesis that FTEs are generated by magnetic reconnection. We will present information about occurrence under different solar conditions, amplitude of the perturbations induced by the FTEs in the environment magnetic field and plasma; characteristic time and structure scale size.