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Drew L. Turner, Nick Omidi , David G. Sibeck , and Vassilis Angelopoulos

First observations of a foreshock bubble: Implications for global magnetospheric dynamics and particle acceleration . Drew L. Turner, Nick Omidi , David G. Sibeck , and Vassilis Angelopoulos. Earth’s Foreshock Region. Quasi-parallel shock region

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Drew L. Turner, Nick Omidi , David G. Sibeck , and Vassilis Angelopoulos

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  1. First observations of a foreshock bubble: Implications for global magnetospheric dynamics and particle acceleration Drew L. Turner, Nick Omidi, David G. Sibeck, and Vassilis Angelopoulos

  2. Earth’s Foreshock Region • Quasi-parallel shock region • Characterized by suprathermal ions back-streaming from the bow shock • Significant plasma instability and waves in this region • Magnetopause disturbances can result from: • Hot flow anomalies (HFAs) • Foreshock cavities • Foreshock bubbles Magnetosheath Magnetosphere Solar Wind Ion Foreshock IMF Omidi et al. [JGR 2005]

  3. Foreshock Bubbles • Recent finding by Omidi et al. [JGR 2010] using 2.5-D hybrid simulations • Ions treated kinetically via PIC; electrons as massless fluid • 2-D in space; 3-D for currents and fields • Demonstrated that foreshock “bubbles” can form after a discontinuity in the IMF • These can then penetrate the sheath and disturb the magnetopause • Foreshock bubbles have not yet been identified in-situ Omidi et al. [JGR 2010]

  4. Bastille Day 2008 • THEMIS-B and TH-C were in the ion foreshock for much of the last half of the day • TH-E and -D were near the magnetopause • Several GOES were also available at GEO • Several interesting foreshock events were observed, incl. one in particular just before 22:00 UT

  5. Bastille Day 2008 • Multiple foreshock phenomena observed in a few hours…

  6. Omidi et al. [JGR 2010] Foreshock Bubbles Hybrid sim. predictions • Features are consistent with foreshock bubble simulations and are clearly moving with the solar wind • Enhanced fluxes of energetic electrons and ions are consistent with additional particle acceleration

  7. FBs or HFAs? • HFAs shouldn’t be observed at TH-B; they are only within ~2 RE of the bow shock • HFAs have compression regions on both sides • HFAs do not convect with the solar wind

  8. Particle Acceleration • FBs involve two converging shocks; they are ideal for significant particle acceleration by a combination of 1stand 2nd order Fermi and shock-drift acceleration!

  9. Magnetosphere Effects 3 compressions, consistent with 3 FBs

  10. Conclusions • Foreshock bubbles should occur regularly • Like HFAs, foreshock bubbles can have drastic effects on the magnetosphere • Foreshock bubbles are efficient particle accelerators via 1st and 2nd order Fermi and shock drift processes • We plan on conducting further studies to identify more FBs and to compare and contrast HFAs and FBs • These are first observations identified as a foreshock bubble, confirming the predictions made by Omidi et al. [2010] based on hybrid simulations • Care must be taken using multi-point observations to distinguish between HFAs and foreshock bubbles Z Omidiand Sibeck [JGR 2007] VY

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