Characteristics of Multi-scale Current Sheets in the Solar Wind at 1 au Associated with Magnetic Reconnection and the Case for a Heliospheric Current Sheet Avalanche

Wind spacecraft measurements are analyzed to obtain a current sheet (CS) normal width dcs-distribution of 3374 confirmed magnetic reconnection exhausts in the ecliptic plane of the solar wind at 1 AU. The dcs-distribution displays a nearly exponential decay from a peak at dcs=25 di to a median at dc...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The Astrophysical journal 2022-07, Vol.933 (2), p.181
Main Authors: Eriksson, Stefan, Swisdak, Marc, Weygand, James M., Mallet, Alfred, Newman, David L., Lapenta, Giovanni, Wilson III, Lynn B., Turner, Drew L., Larsen, Bjorn
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Astrophysics
Avalanches
Bifurcations
Current sheets
Heliosphere
Heliospheric current sheet
Interplanetary turbulence
Magnetic fields
Magnetic reconnection
Solar magnetic reconnection
Solar wind
Solar wind turbulence
Spacecraft
Turbulence
Wind spacecraft
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Summary:Wind spacecraft measurements are analyzed to obtain a current sheet (CS) normal width dcs-distribution of 3374 confirmed magnetic reconnection exhausts in the ecliptic plane of the solar wind at 1 AU. The dcs-distribution displays a nearly exponential decay from a peak at dcs=25 di to a median at dcs=85 di and a 95th percentile at dcs=905 di with a maximum exhaust width at dcs=8077 di. A magnetic field ϴ-rotation angle distribution increases linearly from a relatively few high-shear events toward a broad peak at 35o
ISSN:0004-637X
1538-4357
DOI:10.3847/1538-4357/ac73f6