Magnetic Reconnection Site Estimate

S.-W. Chang, S. B. Mende, H. U. Frey, R. A. Greenwald, L. Avanov, and
D. L. Gallagher

Magnetic reconnection plays an important role in transferring solar
wind mass, momentum, and energy into the magnetosphere. The merging
site and rate depend on the solar wind and IMF condition.
Magnetosheath plasmas precipitate into the ionosphere on magnetic
field lines that become open as a result of the magnetic merging.
Plasmas boundaries associated with the open/closed field line
boundary as in the subsolar merging or the high-latitude boundary
between the intense solar wind plasma and polar rain as in the lobe
merging provide information regarding the location and size of
merging line for various IMF conditions. Because of their scale and
long duration of coverage, global images of auroral emissions
produced by energetic protons in the cusp and its vicinity are
particularly useful in determining the above plasma boundaries. We
will utilize proton aurora images from IMAGE/FUV and ionosphere flows
from SuperDARN radar network to estimate plasma boundaries at the
ionosphere and map these boundaries to the magnetopause to estimate
the size and location of merging line. For each solar wind and IMF
condition, a range of estimates will be discussed.

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To be presented at the 2002 Spring A.G.U. Meeting, 
Washington, D.C., U.S.A., 28-31 May 2002