ISTP European Workshop Splinter Session on Reconnection

Splinter Group Chairs: Stan Cowley (University of Leicester) & Jörg Büchner (MPAe Lindau)

Session Synopsis & Invitation to Participate

Magnetic reconnection is a process of fundamental significance in magnetospheric physics. It plays a primary role in the interaction between the solar wind and magnetosphere at the magnetopause, and is also central to substorm processes in the nightside plasma sheet. Space and ground-based data obtained during the ISTP programme, in conjunction with related theoretical work, have and will contribute significantly to the investigation of the physics of reconnection in the magnetosphere, and its geophysical consequences.

In addition to a talk or two intended to set the scene, we plan to use the main part of the workshop to foster collaborative studies using ISTP data and theory. As a starting point and basis for the workshop session (which will be held 8:30-12:30 on Friday 25 Sept 1998), we have chosen several intervals of magnetopause observations made recently by the Equator-S spacecraft, and several intervals of tail current sheet observations made by the Geotail spacecraft, and we invite interested parties to present these and related data (ground-based and space-based), or theoretical results, at the workshop. We have already ascertained e.g. that good Polar (in situ and imaging), geosynchronous, and SuperDARN data exist for several of these intervals. Advance notice of intention to participate would be welcomed.

The Equator-S magnetopause intervals are as follows:

 4 Jan 1998	0900-1500 UT
 6 Jan 1998	0315-1500 UT
 7 Jan 1998	0230-1330 UT
21 Jan 1998	0030-0645 UT
 1 Feb 1998	0200-1030 UT	(NIPR special time/day for magnetopause/FTE study)
11 Feb 1998	0930-1700 UT	(Geotail conjunction ~15 UT)

Equator-S data plots may be found at the following URL:

http://ion.le.ac.uk/~dan2/index.html

The Geotail tail current sheet intervals have been supplied by Dr T Nagai (nagai@geo.titech.ac.jp) as follows:

11 Dec 1996	0000-0400 UT	tailward/earthward flow reversal
 9 Feb 1997	0000-0400 UT	tailward flows and accelerated electrons
29 Jan 1998	2200-2400 UT	tailward/earthward flow reversal
10 Feb 1998	0000-0400 UT	tailward/earthward flow reversal
15 Feb 1998	0000-0400 UT	continuous earthward flows
26 Feb 1998	0000-0200 UT	continuous earthward flows

Geotail data plots of these intervals may be found at the following URL:

http://WWW.geo.titech.ac.jp/nagailab/nagai/ISTP.html

Although we do not wish to be prescriptive about our scientific aims for the workshop, issues which might be discussed include

What are the radar and optical signatures associated with magnetopause FTEs and other magnetopause reconnection features - can corresponding features be readily identified, and if so, how to they originate and evolve?
How do the form of these features depend upon interplanetary conditions?
What is the relation in time and space between the occurrence of reconnection features in the tail (e.g. plasmoid formation and/or fast flows) and the appearance of the substorm auroral bulge and current system?
Are there any clues on what causes the tail reconnection to eventually die away?

Such questions might easily keep us amused for an hour or two at the workshop; nevertheless you are absolutely welcome to bring you own! Again, prior notice would be welcome but is not essential.

The session chairs welcome advance contributions and suggestions for the session. (E-mail: Stan Cowley, and Jörg Büchner)

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