Abstract | Magnetic reconnection at the Earth’s magnetopause creates highly structured boundary layers both inside and outside the main current sheet of the magnetopause. Thanks to unprecedented high-resolution measurements by the Magnetospheric Multiscale mission, we report several new features pertaining to the fine structure of the magnetopause boundary layer during magnetic reconnection. We show in particular that the outer edge of the magnetosheath electron boundary layers displays a fine-scale velocity dispersion spatial structure, consistent with magnetic reconnection and the existence of a X-line geometry. The high-resolution ion and electron observations further demonstrate the details of specular particle reflection at the main magnetopause current sheet and suggest significant variability in the actual location of particle heating upon transport through the magnetopause. |
