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JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH,
VOL. 114,
A00C27,
10 PP., 2009
doi:10.1029/2008JA013553
Surface waves and field line resonances: A THEMIS case study
Astronomy and Space Physics Department, National Taras Shevchenko University of Kiev, Kiev, Ukraine
Institut für Geophysik und extraterrestrische Physik, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Braunschweig, Germany
Max-Planck-Institut für Sonnensystemforschung, Katlenburg-Lindau, Germany
Institut für Geophysik und extraterrestrische Physik, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Braunschweig, Germany
Institut für Geophysik und extraterrestrische Physik, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Braunschweig, Germany
Institut für Geophysik und extraterrestrische Physik, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Braunschweig, Germany
Department of Earth and Space Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA
Space Research Institute, Austrian Academy of Sciences, Graz, Austria
Space Research Institute, Austrian Academy of Sciences, Graz, Austria
Space Sciences Laboratory, University of California, Berkeley, California, USA
Space Sciences Laboratory, University of California, Berkeley, California, USA
Space Sciences Laboratory, University of California, Berkeley, California, USA
Using magnetic field and plasma observations from four of the five Time History of Events and Macroscale Interactions during Substorms (THEMIS) spacecraft, a surface wave at the dawn flank of the magnetopause was identified on 25 April 2007. The wave had an amplitude of about 1 RE and propagated tailward with a velocity of about 190–240 km/s. Its azimuthal wavelength was in the range of 9–11 RE. Magnetosheath velocity values support the hypothesis that this surface wave was generated by the Kelvin-Helmholtz instability. Simultaneously, an ultralow-frequency (ULF) pulsation event was detected by the fifth THEMIS spacecraft deeper in the magnetosphere, at a distance of about 5–7 RE from the magnetopause. This ULF event showed all the signatures predicted for waves generated by the classical field line resonance process. Frequency and phases of the detected ULF oscillations were found to be in close agreement with the magnetopause surface periodic disturbances. We conclude that the observed ULF wave event was most likely directly generated by the magnetopause surface wave and thus represents one of the few known manifestations of the classical field line resonance process in space directly observed, a conclusion made possible due to the special configuration of the THEMIS mission and its five spacecraft.
Received 30 June 2008; accepted 6 August 2009; published 18 December 2009.
Citation: (2009), Surface waves and field line resonances: A THEMIS case study, J. Geophys. Res., 114, A00C27, doi:10.1029/2008JA013553, [printed 115(A1), 2010].
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