A Unique Constellation of Spacecraft to Study KHI in 2017-2020: MMS, Cluster and THEMIS

A. Masson; K. Nykyri; C. P. Escoubet; H. Laakso

A Unique Constellation of Spacecraft to Study KHI in 2017-2020: MMS, Cluster and THEMIS

A. Masson, K. Nykyri, C. P. Escoubet, H. Laakso

Physical Sciences

European Space Agency

Research output: Contribution to conference › Presentation

Abstract

<div class="line" id="line-7"> The Kelvin-Helmholtz instability (KHI) develops in a fluid flow when significant velocity shear occurs and exceeds a certain threshold. KHI is observed in various media including: oceans at 500 m depth, at the edge of clouds in the Earth's atmosphere, on the edge of coronal mass ejections and more generally in the solar atmosphere and the solar wind, in the atmosphere of giant planets (Saturn, Jupiter) up to astrophysical objects, such as in the Orion nebula.</div><div class="line" id="line-147"> <br/></div><div class="line" id="line-150"> In the solar system, KHI is observed at Earth's magnetopause where a velocity shear exists due to the solar wind flowing along the magnetopause faster than the magnetospheric hotter plasma. More recently, it was found at the magnetopause of other planets including Mercury, possibly Venus, Jupiter and Saturn.</div><div class="line" id="line-156"> <br/></div><div class="line" id="line-159"> Over more than 10 years, the Cluster and the Themis missions have shed a total new light on the Kelvin-Helmholtz Instability mechanism at the Earth’s magnetopause. To name a few, these missions have enabled the observation of KHI rolled-up vortices for the first with four spacecraft [1]. They revealed its presence under any IMF conditions [2,3], previously underestimated [4]. Very recently, the presence of ion magnetosonic waves with sufficient energy to account for the observed level of ion heating within a KHI vortex may be evidence of cross-scale energy transport [5].</div><div class="line" id="line-207"> <br/></div><div class="line" id="line-205"> After presenting some the main highlights of Cluster and Themis on this phenomenon, we will present upcoming new observations with MMS, Cluster and Themis foreseen in 2017-2020 timeframe. Together, they will form a unique constellation of spacecraft constellation to study this phenomenon for the first time.Now looking forward: how to go from a qualitative picture to a quantitative picture of this phenomenon? For instance, how to quantify the role of KHI in the formation of the cold dense plasmasheet? Which observations would be then needed? Two main concepts of new observations will be evoked.</div><div class="line" id="line-295"> <br/></div><div class="line" id="line-220"> References </div><div class="line" id="line-258"> <br/></div><div class="line" id="line-261"> 1. H. Hasegawa, M. Fujimoto, T. D. Phan, H. Rème, A. Balogh, M. W. Dunlop, C. Hashimoto and R. TanDokoro, “Transport of solar wind into Earth's magnetosphere through rolled-up Kelvin-Helmholtz vortices,” <b> Nature </b> , 430, pp. 755-758, 2004.</div><div class="line" id="line-265"> <br/></div><div class="line" id="line-268"> 2. K.&hyphen;J. Hwang, M. M. Kuznetsova, F. Sahraoui, M. L. Goldstein, E. Lee, and G. K. Parks, “Kelvin-Helmholtz waves under southward interplanetary magnetic field,” <b> Journal of Geophysical Research </b> , 116, A08210, 2011, doi:10.1029/2011JA016596.</div><div class="line" id="line-272"> <br/></div><div class="line" id="line-275"> 3. K.&hyphen;J. Hwang, M. L. Goldstein, M. M. Kuznetsova, Y. Wang, A. F. Viñas, and D. G. Sibeck, The first in situ observation of Kelvin-Helmholtz waves at high-latitude magnetopause during strongly dawnward interplanetary magnetic field conditions, <b> Journal of Geophysical Research </b> , 117, A08233, 2012, doi:10.1029/2011JA017256.</div><div class="line" id="line-281"> <br/></div><div class="line" id="line-284"> 4. S. Kavosi, and J. Raeder, “Ubiquity of Kelvin–Helmholtz waves at Earth’s magnetopause,” <b> Nature Communications </b> , 6, 7019, 2015, doi: 10.1038/ncomms8019.</div><div class="line" id="line-288"> <br/></div><div class="line" id="line-291"> 5. T. W. Moore, K. Nykyri, and A. P. Dimmock, Cross-scale energy transport in space plasmas, <b> Nature Physics </b> , 12, pp. 1164-1169, 2016, doi: 10.1038/nphys3869.</div>

Original language	American English
State	Published - Aug 2017
Event	32nd International Union of Radio Science General Assembly & Scientific Symposium (USRI GASS) - Montreal, Canada Duration: Aug 1 2017 → …

Conference

Conference	32nd International Union of Radio Science General Assembly & Scientific Symposium (USRI GASS)
Period	8/1/17 → …

Keywords

Kelvin-Helmholts instability
magnetosphere
solar wind
Cluster spacecraft
THEMIS spacecraft
MMS spacecraft

Disciplines

Astrophysics and Astronomy

Cite this

@conference{84206e8c9bf44929ae46fc36cf230b44,

title = "A Unique Constellation of Spacecraft to Study KHI in 2017-2020: MMS, Cluster and THEMIS",

abstract = " The Kelvin-Helmholtz instability (KHI) develops in a fluid flow when significant velocity shear occurs and exceeds a certain threshold. KHI is observed in various media including: oceans at 500 m depth, at the edge of clouds in the Earth's atmosphere, on the edge of coronal mass ejections and more generally in the solar atmosphere and the solar wind, in the atmosphere of giant planets (Saturn, Jupiter) up to astrophysical objects, such as in the Orion nebula. In the solar system, KHI is observed at Earth's magnetopause where a velocity shear exists due to the solar wind flowing along the magnetopause faster than the magnetospheric hotter plasma. More recently, it was found at the magnetopause of other planets including Mercury, possibly Venus, Jupiter and Saturn. Over more than 10 years, the Cluster and the Themis missions have shed a total new light on the Kelvin-Helmholtz Instability mechanism at the Earth’s magnetopause. To name a few, these missions have enabled the observation of KHI rolled-up vortices for the first with four spacecraft [1]. They revealed its presence under any IMF conditions [2,3], previously underestimated [4]. Very recently, the presence of ion magnetosonic waves with sufficient energy to account for the observed level of ion heating within a KHI vortex may be evidence of cross-scale energy transport [5]. After presenting some the main highlights of Cluster and Themis on this phenomenon, we will present upcoming new observations with MMS, Cluster and Themis foreseen in 2017-2020 timeframe. Together, they will form a unique constellation of spacecraft constellation to study this phenomenon for the first time.Now looking forward: how to go from a qualitative picture to a quantitative picture of this phenomenon? For instance, how to quantify the role of KHI in the formation of the cold dense plasmasheet? Which observations would be then needed? Two main concepts of new observations will be evoked. References  1. H. Hasegawa, M. Fujimoto, T. D. Phan, H. Rème, A. Balogh, M. W. Dunlop, C. Hashimoto and R. TanDokoro, “Transport of solar wind into Earth's magnetosphere through rolled-up Kelvin-Helmholtz vortices,” Nature , 430, pp. 755-758, 2004. 2. K.&hyphen;J. Hwang, M. M. Kuznetsova, F. Sahraoui, M. L. Goldstein, E. Lee, and G. K. Parks, “Kelvin-Helmholtz waves under southward interplanetary magnetic field,” Journal of Geophysical Research , 116, A08210, 2011, doi:10.1029/2011JA016596. 3. K.&hyphen;J. Hwang, M. L. Goldstein, M. M. Kuznetsova, Y. Wang, A. F. Viñas, and D. G. Sibeck, The first in situ observation of Kelvin-Helmholtz waves at high-latitude magnetopause during strongly dawnward interplanetary magnetic field conditions, Journal of Geophysical Research , 117, A08233, 2012, doi:10.1029/2011JA017256. 4. S. Kavosi, and J. Raeder, “Ubiquity of Kelvin–Helmholtz waves at Earth’s magnetopause,” Nature Communications , 6, 7019, 2015, doi: 10.1038/ncomms8019. 5. T. W. Moore, K. Nykyri, and A. P. Dimmock, Cross-scale energy transport in space plasmas, Nature Physics , 12, pp. 1164-1169, 2016, doi: 10.1038/nphys3869.",

keywords = "Kelvin-Helmholts instability, magnetosphere, solar wind, Cluster spacecraft, THEMIS spacecraft, MMS spacecraft",

author = "A. Masson and K. Nykyri and Escoubet, {C. P.} and H. Laakso",

year = "2017",

month = aug,

language = "American English",

note = "32nd International Union of Radio Science General Assembly & Scientific Symposium (USRI GASS) ; Conference date: 01-08-2017",

}

TY - CONF

T1 - A Unique Constellation of Spacecraft to Study KHI in 2017-2020: MMS, Cluster and THEMIS

AU - Masson, A.

AU - Nykyri, K.

AU - Escoubet, C. P.

AU - Laakso, H.

PY - 2017/8

Y1 - 2017/8

N2 - The Kelvin-Helmholtz instability (KHI) develops in a fluid flow when significant velocity shear occurs and exceeds a certain threshold. KHI is observed in various media including: oceans at 500 m depth, at the edge of clouds in the Earth's atmosphere, on the edge of coronal mass ejections and more generally in the solar atmosphere and the solar wind, in the atmosphere of giant planets (Saturn, Jupiter) up to astrophysical objects, such as in the Orion nebula. In the solar system, KHI is observed at Earth's magnetopause where a velocity shear exists due to the solar wind flowing along the magnetopause faster than the magnetospheric hotter plasma. More recently, it was found at the magnetopause of other planets including Mercury, possibly Venus, Jupiter and Saturn. Over more than 10 years, the Cluster and the Themis missions have shed a total new light on the Kelvin-Helmholtz Instability mechanism at the Earth’s magnetopause. To name a few, these missions have enabled the observation of KHI rolled-up vortices for the first with four spacecraft [1]. They revealed its presence under any IMF conditions [2,3], previously underestimated [4]. Very recently, the presence of ion magnetosonic waves with sufficient energy to account for the observed level of ion heating within a KHI vortex may be evidence of cross-scale energy transport [5]. After presenting some the main highlights of Cluster and Themis on this phenomenon, we will present upcoming new observations with MMS, Cluster and Themis foreseen in 2017-2020 timeframe. Together, they will form a unique constellation of spacecraft constellation to study this phenomenon for the first time.Now looking forward: how to go from a qualitative picture to a quantitative picture of this phenomenon? For instance, how to quantify the role of KHI in the formation of the cold dense plasmasheet? Which observations would be then needed? Two main concepts of new observations will be evoked. References  1. H. Hasegawa, M. Fujimoto, T. D. Phan, H. Rème, A. Balogh, M. W. Dunlop, C. Hashimoto and R. TanDokoro, “Transport of solar wind into Earth's magnetosphere through rolled-up Kelvin-Helmholtz vortices,” Nature , 430, pp. 755-758, 2004. 2. K.&hyphen;J. Hwang, M. M. Kuznetsova, F. Sahraoui, M. L. Goldstein, E. Lee, and G. K. Parks, “Kelvin-Helmholtz waves under southward interplanetary magnetic field,” Journal of Geophysical Research , 116, A08210, 2011, doi:10.1029/2011JA016596. 3. K.&hyphen;J. Hwang, M. L. Goldstein, M. M. Kuznetsova, Y. Wang, A. F. Viñas, and D. G. Sibeck, The first in situ observation of Kelvin-Helmholtz waves at high-latitude magnetopause during strongly dawnward interplanetary magnetic field conditions, Journal of Geophysical Research , 117, A08233, 2012, doi:10.1029/2011JA017256. 4. S. Kavosi, and J. Raeder, “Ubiquity of Kelvin–Helmholtz waves at Earth’s magnetopause,” Nature Communications , 6, 7019, 2015, doi: 10.1038/ncomms8019. 5. T. W. Moore, K. Nykyri, and A. P. Dimmock, Cross-scale energy transport in space plasmas, Nature Physics , 12, pp. 1164-1169, 2016, doi: 10.1038/nphys3869.

AB - The Kelvin-Helmholtz instability (KHI) develops in a fluid flow when significant velocity shear occurs and exceeds a certain threshold. KHI is observed in various media including: oceans at 500 m depth, at the edge of clouds in the Earth's atmosphere, on the edge of coronal mass ejections and more generally in the solar atmosphere and the solar wind, in the atmosphere of giant planets (Saturn, Jupiter) up to astrophysical objects, such as in the Orion nebula. In the solar system, KHI is observed at Earth's magnetopause where a velocity shear exists due to the solar wind flowing along the magnetopause faster than the magnetospheric hotter plasma. More recently, it was found at the magnetopause of other planets including Mercury, possibly Venus, Jupiter and Saturn. Over more than 10 years, the Cluster and the Themis missions have shed a total new light on the Kelvin-Helmholtz Instability mechanism at the Earth’s magnetopause. To name a few, these missions have enabled the observation of KHI rolled-up vortices for the first with four spacecraft [1]. They revealed its presence under any IMF conditions [2,3], previously underestimated [4]. Very recently, the presence of ion magnetosonic waves with sufficient energy to account for the observed level of ion heating within a KHI vortex may be evidence of cross-scale energy transport [5]. After presenting some the main highlights of Cluster and Themis on this phenomenon, we will present upcoming new observations with MMS, Cluster and Themis foreseen in 2017-2020 timeframe. Together, they will form a unique constellation of spacecraft constellation to study this phenomenon for the first time.Now looking forward: how to go from a qualitative picture to a quantitative picture of this phenomenon? For instance, how to quantify the role of KHI in the formation of the cold dense plasmasheet? Which observations would be then needed? Two main concepts of new observations will be evoked. References  1. H. Hasegawa, M. Fujimoto, T. D. Phan, H. Rème, A. Balogh, M. W. Dunlop, C. Hashimoto and R. TanDokoro, “Transport of solar wind into Earth's magnetosphere through rolled-up Kelvin-Helmholtz vortices,” Nature , 430, pp. 755-758, 2004. 2. K.&hyphen;J. Hwang, M. M. Kuznetsova, F. Sahraoui, M. L. Goldstein, E. Lee, and G. K. Parks, “Kelvin-Helmholtz waves under southward interplanetary magnetic field,” Journal of Geophysical Research , 116, A08210, 2011, doi:10.1029/2011JA016596. 3. K.&hyphen;J. Hwang, M. L. Goldstein, M. M. Kuznetsova, Y. Wang, A. F. Viñas, and D. G. Sibeck, The first in situ observation of Kelvin-Helmholtz waves at high-latitude magnetopause during strongly dawnward interplanetary magnetic field conditions, Journal of Geophysical Research , 117, A08233, 2012, doi:10.1029/2011JA017256. 4. S. Kavosi, and J. Raeder, “Ubiquity of Kelvin–Helmholtz waves at Earth’s magnetopause,” Nature Communications , 6, 7019, 2015, doi: 10.1038/ncomms8019. 5. T. W. Moore, K. Nykyri, and A. P. Dimmock, Cross-scale energy transport in space plasmas, Nature Physics , 12, pp. 1164-1169, 2016, doi: 10.1038/nphys3869.

KW - Kelvin-Helmholts instability

KW - magnetosphere

KW - solar wind

KW - Cluster spacecraft

KW - THEMIS spacecraft

KW - MMS spacecraft

M3 - Presentation

T2 - 32nd International Union of Radio Science General Assembly & Scientific Symposium (USRI GASS)

Y2 - 1 August 2017

ER -