Application of the wave telescope to Vlasiator simulations using multi-scale spacecraft configurations

Abstract

The wave telescope is a multi-spacecraft method that uses multi-point magnetic field data to estimate a spectrum in k-space, allowing for the detection of waves as well as turbulence. So far, the wave telescope has been applied to the Cluster and MMS four-spacecraft missions around Earth. In the future, it can be used for multi-scale plasma missions incorporating larger numbers of spacecraft. Such are the accepted Helioswarm mission as well as the proposed Plasma Observatory. Due to the more complicated nature of the wave telescope analysis of multi-scale spacecraft configurations, there is a need to study such systems beforehand using as-realistic-as-possible artificial data. Such an artificial 2D or 3D dataset can be provided by Vlasiator, a Hybrid-Vlasov global magnetospheric simulation treating electrons as a fluid and protons being described by distribution functions. We apply the wave telescope to spacecraft configurations both different in number and position and determine the quality of detection of foreshock plasma waves simulated by Vlasiator.