Scales in a thinning plasma sheet

A. A. Petrukovich, W. Baumjohann, R. Nakamura, A. Runov, A. Balogh, H. Rème, Masfumi Hirahara, Yoshizumi Miyoshi, Naoki Terada, Toshifumi Mukai, Iku Shinohara
2009 AIP Conference Proceedings  
With Cluster observations in the magnetotail, we study the dynamics of plasma sheet thinning and stretching in a typical growth phase event of September 12, 2001. The thinning and stretching proceed in parallel, with transient variations. The pre-onset value is B z ~ 1.5 nT , J ~ 8 nA/m 2 . The current density increase is not accompanied with a corresponding number density increase. A large (> 5 nT) guide field along the cross-tail current direction was registered. An embedded current sheet
more » ... cture was detected and, therefore, caution is required if making thickness estimations.
doi:10.1063/1.3169289 fatcat:bnhqwkzdhvgdtgixmzjvdnmlhm