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Statistics of Flow Channels Observed as Regions of Ion Heating in Energetic Neutral Atom Images
  • Amy Keesee,
  • Roxanne Katus,
  • Ben Antognetti
Amy Keesee
University of New Hampshire Main Campus

Corresponding Author:[email protected]

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Roxanne Katus
Eastern Michigan University
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Ben Antognetti
University of New Hampshire Main Campus
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Abstract

Reconnection in the magnetotail transfers magnetic energy to thermal and kinetic energy in ions and electrons. These particles are injected both Earthward and tailward from the reconnection region. The Earthward particles are transported to the inner magnetosphere where they drive the ring current and radiation belts. The injections are observed in the plasma sheet in conjunction with dipolarizations of the magnetic field. The particles have been found to travel within narrow flow channels, rather than broadly across the magnetotail, in spatially and temporally localized events known as bursty bulk flows (BBF). Simulations of such events show these narrow flow channels moving from the reconnection region to the injection region. However, global observations are needed to understand how BBFs connect the reconnection region and the inner magnetosphere during storms and substorms. Ion heating has been observed with in situ measurements at the reconnection region and within the dipolarization fronts and BBFs. Using energetic neutral atom (ENA) imaging, ion temperature maps can be calculated to provide such global observations. Regions of ion heating have been observed in these maps and comparisons with in situ measurements demonstrate that they are associated with these phenomena. An automated identification algorithm has been developed and run on our database of storm-time ion temperatures. We will present the results of case and statistical studies of the characteristics of these features.