Observations of Double Layers in Earth’s Plasma Sheet

R. E. Ergun, L. Andersson, J. Tao, V. Angelopoulos, J. Bonnell, J. P. McFadden, D. E. Larson, S. Eriksson, T. Johansson, C. M. Cully, D. N. Newman, M. V. Goldman, A. Roux, O. LeContel, K.-H. Glassmeier, and W. Baumjohann
Phys. Rev. Lett. 102, 155002 – Published 16 April 2009

Abstract

We report the first direct observations of parallel electric fields (E) carried by double layers (DLs) in the plasma sheet of Earth’s magnetosphere. The DL observations, made by the THEMIS spacecraft, have E signals that are analogous to those reported in the auroral region. DLs are observed during bursty bulk flow events, in the current sheet, and in plasma sheet boundary layer, all during periods of strong magnetic fluctuations. These observations imply that DLs are a universal process and that strongly nonlinear and kinetic behavior is intrinsic to Earth’s plasma sheet.

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  • Received 22 January 2009

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.102.155002

©2009 American Physical Society

Authors & Affiliations

R. E. Ergun1,2, L. Andersson2, J. Tao1,2, V. Angelopoulos3, J. Bonnell4, J. P. McFadden4, D. E. Larson4, S. Eriksson2, T. Johansson2, C. M. Cully5, D. N. Newman6, M. V. Goldman6, A. Roux7, O. LeContel7, K.-H. Glassmeier8, and W. Baumjohann9

  • 1Department of Astrophysical and Planetary Sciences, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado 80309, USA
  • 2Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado 80309, USA
  • 3Institute of Geophysics and Planetary Physics, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90055, USA
  • 4Space Sciences Laboratory, University of California, Berkeley, California, 94720, USA
  • 5Swedish Institute of Space Physics, Uppsala, Sweden
  • 6Center for Integrated Plasma Studies, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado 80309, USA
  • 7Centre d’étude des Environnements Terrestre et Planétaires, Velizy, France
  • 8TUBS, Braunschweig, D-38106, Germany
  • 9Space Research Institute, Austrian Academy of Sciences, A-8042 Graz, Austria

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Vol. 102, Iss. 15 — 17 April 2009

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