Comparison of dayside magnetic separatrix signatures in HF and incoherent scatter radar data

Abstract

Both high‐frequency (HF) and incoherent scatter (IS) radar have previously been used to identify the open‐closed magnetic field separatrix and to measure the magnetospheric reconnection rate. The HF radar signature of open magnetic field on the dayside is a high spectral width in the backscatter Doppler spectrum. The IS radar signature of closed field lines is the presence of ionization indicating boundary plasma sheet precipitation. We investigate the consistency of these different signatures of the separatrix and show that the consistency depends on the local reconnection electric field. The two signatures yield a consistent identification of the separatrix at local times where the reconnection electric field is low. In the merging gap, however, where the reconnection electric field is high, the signature in the HF radar signature moves several degrees equatorward of the signature in the IS radar. These observations are backed up by DMSP precipitating particle observations, which indicate that the IS radar technique is properly identifying the poleward edge of the dayside BPS precipitation but also that the trapping boundary of magnetospheric ions and the electron edge occur at a latitude consistent with the HF radar signature of the separatrix. These observations are consistent with the theory that a portion of the dayside BPS is on open magnetic field lines. The latitudinal width of the dayside BPS on open field lines is given by ΔΛ = 0.14°Erec[mV/m]. We conclude that the HF radar signature is the more accurate identifier of the magnetic separatrix in the region of active reconnection.