Spatial Distribution of the Eddy Diffusion Coefficient in the Plasma Sheet of Earth’s Magnetotail and its Dependence on the Interplanetary Magnetic Field and Geomagnetic Activity based on MMS Satellite Data

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Abstract

The article presents the results of a statistical analysis of the distribution of the eddy diffusion coef-ficient depending on the coordinates in the plasma sheet of Earth’s magnetosphere based on data from the Magnetospheric Multiscale Mission satellite system (MMS) for the period from 2017 to 2022. The localization of satellites inside the plasma sheet was recorded from the concentration and temperature of plasma ions according to the data of the same instruments and the value of plasma parameter β. Significant anisotropy of the eddy diffusion coefficient was revealed. The dependence of the eddy diffusion coefficient on the inter-planetary magnetic field is analyzed, showing that with the southern orientation of the interplanetary magnetic field, the eddy diffusion coefficients are 1.5–2 times greater than with the northern orientation. It is also shown that under disturbed geomagnetic conditions (SML < –200 nT), the eddy diffusion coefficients are several times greater than under quiet geomagnetic conditions (SML > –50 nT).

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About the authors

D. Yu. Naiko

Skobeltsyn Institute of Nuclear Physics, Moscow State University; Moscow State University

Author for correspondence.
Email: daniilnaiko@mail.ru

Department of Physics

Russian Federation, Moscow; Moscow

I. L. Ovchinnikov

Skobeltsyn Institute of Nuclear Physics, Moscow State University

Email: ilya@psn.ru
Russian Federation, Moscow

E. E. Antonova

Skobeltsyn Institute of Nuclear Physics, Moscow State University; Space Research Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences

Email: elizaveta.antonova@gmail.com
Russian Federation, Moscow; Moscow

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Supplementary files

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2. Fig. 1. Example of a hodograph of plasma velocities in the XY, XZ, YZ planes for the interval 09:00-09:12 UT on May 25, 2017 according to MMS1 data.

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3. Fig. 2. Examples of autocorrelation functions of plasma velocity components for the interval 0:20-0:32 UT 05/28/2017 according to MMS1 data: (a) — AXX, (b) — AYY, (c) — AZZ.

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4. Fig. 3. Averaged radial profiles of vortex diffusion coefficients in the north direction of the interplanetary magnetic field.

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5. Fig. 4. Averaged radial profiles of vortex diffusion coefficients in the southern direction of the interplanetary magnetic field.

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6. Fig. 5. Averaged radial profiles of vortex diffusion coefficients in a calm geomagnetic environment (SML > -50 NT).

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7. Fig. 6. Averaged radial profiles of vortex diffusion coefficients in a disturbed geomagnetic environment (SML < -200 NT).

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