%AVines, S. [Space Science and Engineering Division Southwest Research Institute San Antonio Texas USA, Department of Physics and Astronomy University of Texas at San Antonio San Antonio Texas USA, Now at the Applied Physics Laboratory The Johns Hopkins University Laurel Maryland USA]%AVines, S. [Space Science and Engineering Division; Southwest Research Institute; San Antonio Texas USA; Department of Physics and Astronomy; University of Texas at San Antonio; San Antonio Texas USA; Now at the Applied Physics Laboratory; The Johns Hopkins University; Laurel Maryland USA]%AFuselier, S. [Space Science and Engineering Division Southwest Research Institute San Antonio Texas USA, Department of Physics and Astronomy University of Texas at San Antonio San Antonio Texas USA]%AFuselier, S. [Space Science and Engineering Division; Southwest Research Institute; San Antonio Texas USA; Department of Physics and Astronomy; University of Texas at San Antonio; San Antonio Texas USA]%APetrinec, S. [Advanced Technology Center Lockheed Martin Palo Alto California USA]%APetrinec, S. [Advanced Technology Center; Lockheed Martin; Palo Alto California USA]%ATrattner, K. [Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics; University of Colorado Boulder; Boulder Colorado USA]%ATrattner, K. [Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics University of Colorado Boulder Boulder Colorado USA]%AAllen, R. [Space Science and Engineering Division Southwest Research Institute San Antonio Texas USA, Department of Physics and Astronomy University of Texas at San Antonio San Antonio Texas USA]%AAllen, R. [Space Science and Engineering Division; Southwest Research Institute; San Antonio Texas USA; Department of Physics and Astronomy; University of Texas at San Antonio; San Antonio Texas USA]%BJournal Name: Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics; Journal Volume: 122; Journal Issue: 4; Related Information: CHORUS Timestamp: 2023-09-10 02:33:16 %D2017%IDOI PREFIX: 10.1029 %JJournal Name: Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics; Journal Volume: 122; Journal Issue: 4; Related Information: CHORUS Timestamp: 2023-09-10 02:33:16 %K %MOSTI ID: 10034715 %PMedium: X %TOccurrence frequency and location of magnetic islands at the dayside magnetopause %XAbstract

Simulations of magnetic reconnection often predict the formation of magnetic islands forming and propagating out through the reconnection exhaust region. However, to date, only a few observations of magnetic islands at the Earth's magnetopause have been identified and analyzed. Crossings near reconnection sites at the dayside magnetopause by Cluster from 2001 to 2009 are examined in a systematic effort to determine the frequency and location of magnetic islands. Using the maximum magnetic shear model as a guide for the distance to the reconnection site, 47 magnetopause crossings within 3REof the predicted reconnection site are examined. The occurrence of island structures in the reconnection exhaust is investigated in the context of how the type of reconnection, antiparallel or component, affects the frequency of formation of the islands. For Cluster magnetopause crossings confirmed to be near reconnection sites, island signatures, primarily bidirectional streaming electrons in the magnetosheath boundary layer, are seen for approximately 85% of the crossings and are common features for both antiparallel and component reconnection.

%0Journal Article