Can random reconnection on the magnetopause produce the low latitude boundary layer?

• Published in: Geophysical research letters Vol. 16; no. 3; pp. 227 - 230
• Main Author: Nishida, Atsuhiro
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington, DC Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.03.1989; American Geophysical Union
• Subjects: 640201 - Atmospheric Physics- Auroral, Ionospheric, & Magetospheric Phenomena; Astronomy; Boundary layer; BOUNDARY LAYERS; CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSICS; EARTH ATMOSPHERE; EARTH MAGNETOSPHERE; Earth, ocean, space; ENERGY TRANSFER; Exact sciences and technology; GEOMAGNETIC FIELD; Geophysics; Interplanetary space; Latitude; LAYERS; MAGNETIC FIELD CONFIGURATIONS; MAGNETIC FIELDS; MAGNETIC RECONNECTION; MAGNETOPAUSE; MASS TRANSFER; MATHEMATICAL MODELS; PLASMA DRIFT; Signatures; SOLAR ACTIVITY; Solar system; SOLAR WIND; Streams; Interplanetary magnetic field; Field merging; Plasma; Field line; Plasma flow; Magnetopause; Boundary layer
• ISSN: 0094-8276; 1944-8007
• DOI: 10.1029/GL016i003p00227

We consider consequences of the reconnection that occurs randomly on the dayside magnetopause. Open field lines produced by such reconnection events often intersect with each other, and they do not necessarily show some of the features that would be expected from the reconnection if this mutual interaction were absent. Some of the randomly produced open field lines would re‐reconnect and result in closed field lines. The solar wind plasma streams into the magnetosphere along these field lines as long as they are open, however, and stays there after the field lines become closed again. We propose that this is the mechanism of the plasma supply into the low‐latitude boundary layer. We will show that many of the observed signatures of the LLBL are consistent with this model.