Abstract
AbstractMagnetospheric ions have the potential to affect magnetic reconnection at the magnetopause. The results of a survey of magnetospheric ions near the magnetopause are reported here. Composition measurements from the Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) mission are used to determine the total mass density of all magnetospheric ions and distinguish two populations of magnetospheric ions: the warm plasma cloak and the plasmaspheric drainage plume. The warm plasma cloak can contain substantial O+, and the plasmaspheric plume can contain substantial He+. The results of the survey show that, for nominal magnetospheric activity, the warm plasma cloak and plasmaspheric plume will reduce the normalized reconnection rate at the magnetopause by greater than 20% only a few percent of the time.
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