Electrostatic solitary waves with distinct speeds associated with asymmetric reconnection

Abstract

AbstractElectrostatic solitary waves (ESWs) are observed at the magnetopause with distinct time scales. These ESWs are associated with asymmetric reconnection of the cold dense magnetosheath plasma with the hot tenuous magnetospheric plasma. The distinct time scales are shown to be due to ESWs moving at distinct speeds and having distinct length scales. The length scales are of order 5–50 Debye lengths, and the speeds range from ∼50 km s−1 to ∼1000 km s−1. The ESWs are observed near the reconnection separatrices. The observation of ESWs with distinct speeds suggests that multiple instabilities are occurring. The implications for reconnection at the magnetopause are discussed.