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We investigate the unique magnetosphere of Uranus and its interaction with the solar wind. Following the work of Masters (2014), https://doi.org/10.1002/2014ja020077 and others, we developed and validated a simple yet valuable and illustrative model of Uranus' offset, tilted, and rapidly‐spinning magnetic field and magnetopause (nominal and fit to the Voyager‐2 inbound crossing point) in three‐dimensional space. With this model, we investigated details of the seasonal and interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) orientation dependencies of dayside and flank reconnection along the Uranian magnetopause. We found that anti‐parallel (magnetic field shear angle greater than 170°) reconnection occurs nearly continuously along the Uranian dayside and/or flank magnetopause under all seasons of the 84 (Earth) year Uranian orbit and the most likely IMF orientations. Such active and continuous driving of the Uranian magnetosphere should result in constant loading and unloading of the Uranian magnetotail, which may be further complicated and destabilized by sudden changes in the IMF orientation and solar wind conditions plus the reconfigurations from the rotation of Uranus itself. We demonstrate that unlike the other magnetospheric systems that are Dungey‐cycle driven (i.e., Mercury and Earth) or rotationally driven (Jupiter and Saturn), global magnetospheric convection of plasma, magnetic flux, and energy flow may occur via three distinct cycles, two of which are unique to Uranus (and possibly also Neptune). Our simple model is also used to map signatures of dayside and flank reconnection down to the Uranian ionosphere, as a function of planetary latitude and longitude. Such mapping demonstrates that "spot‐like" auroral features should be very common on the Uranian dayside, consistent with observations from Hubble Space Telescope. We further detail how the combination of Uranus' rapid rotation and unique and very active global magnetospheric convection should be consistent with fueling of the surprisingly intense trapped radiation environment observed by Voyager‐2 during its single flyby. Summarizing, Uranus is a very interesting magnetosphere that offers new insights on the nature, complexity, and diversity of planetary magnetospheric systems and the acceleration of particles in space plasmas, which might have important analogs to exoplanetary magnetospheric systems. Our hypotheses can be tested with further work involving more advanced models, new auroral observations, and unprecedented missions to explore the in situ environment from orbit around Uranus, which should include a complement of magnetospheric instruments in the payload. Key Points: Dayside and/or flank reconnection occurs nearly continuously at Uranus, loading energy into the magnetotail and driving global convectionMagnetospheric convection occurs in three distinct types of cycle, two unique to Uranus and one explaining "spot" auroral observationsSolar wind coupling with Uranus' magnetosphere occurs for all seasons, diurnal phases, and most likely interplanetary magnetic field orientations [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Imaging missions in Earth Science, Heliophysics, and Astrophysics have made fundamental advancements in science and have helped to further our understanding of our natural environment. Here we review the Solar-Terrestrial Observer for the Response of the Magnetosphere (STORM) mission concept, a global solar wind-magnetosphere imaging mission and investigate how often STORM can observe and image its key science targets; the magnetopause, ring current, and auroral oval. We introduce a novel analysis which defines STORM's plasma targets as discrete sample points in space, these points are collectively called point groups. These point groups are used in conjunction with fields-of-view of STORM's imagers to quantify target visibility, how often the mission can observe each of its targets. The target visibility is combined with a statistical investigation of historical solar wind and geomagnetic data, and a k-folds/Monte Carlo analysis to quantify STORM's science visibility. That is how often specific targets can be observed during elevated solar wind and geomagnetic conditions such that detailed science investigations can be completed to address STORM's science objectives. This analysis is further expanded to potential dual-spacecraft mission configurations to determine the nominal inter-orbit phasing which maximizes target and science visibility. Overall, we find that the target and science visibility of a single spacecraft mission is large, in the 100s and 1000s of hours/events, while the target and science visibility peak for a dual-spacecraft mission where the two spacecraft are -85° out of phase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mercury possesses a miniature yet dynamic magnetosphere driven primarily by magnetic reconnection occurring regularly at the magnetopause and in the magnetotail. Using the newly developed Magnetohydrodynamics with Adaptively Embedded Particle‐in‐Cell (MHD‐AEPIC) model coupled with planetary interior, we have performed a series of global simulations with a range of upstream conditions to study in detail the kinetic signatures, asymmetries, and flux transfer events (FTEs) associated with Mercury's dayside magnetopause reconnection. By treating both ions and electrons kinetically, the embedded PIC model reveals crescent‐shaped phase‐space distributions near reconnection sites, counter‐streaming ion populations in the cusp region, and temperature anisotropies within FTEs. A novel metric and algorithm are developed to automatically identify reconnection X‐lines in our 3D simulations. The spatial distribution of reconnection sites as modeled by the PIC code exhibits notable dawn‐dusk asymmetries, likely due to such kinetic effects as X‐line spreading and Hall effects. Across all simulations, simulated FTEs occur quasi‐periodically every 4–9 s. The properties of simulated FTEs show clear dependencies on the upstream solar wind Alfvénic Mach number (MA) and the interplanetary magnetic field orientation, consistent with MESSENGER observations and previous Hall‐MHD simulations. FTEs formed in our MHD‐AEPIC model tend to carry a large amount of open flux, contributing ∼3%–36% of the total open flux generated at the dayside. Taken together, our MHD‐AEPIC simulations provide new insights into the kinetic processes associated with Mercury's magnetopause reconnection that should prove useful for interpreting spacecraft observations, such as those from MESSENGER and BepiColombo. Key Points: A series of 3D MHD‐AEPIC simulations are performed to reveal kinetic signatures of Mercury's magnetopause reconnectionA novel metric and algorithm are developed to identify reconnection sites whose spatial distribution exhibit notable dawn‐dusk asymmetriesFlux transfer events in our simulations carry a large amount of open flux contributing up to 36% of the total flux opened at the dayside [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bursty reconnection models predict that flux transfer events (FTEs) moving along the magnetopause launch fast mode compressional waves into the magnetosheath that push the bow shock outward. By contrast, increases in the solar wind density striking the bow shock should push that boundary inward and launch fast mode compressional waves that propagate across the magnetosheath, drive waves on the magnetopause, and generate transient events in the outer magnetosphere. Multipoint ACE, Wind, THEMIS, and GOES‐11/12 solar wind, bow shock, and magnetospheric observations on 14 October 2008 provide direct evidence for solar wind pressure pulses producing a large amplitude indentation with crater FTE‐like properties on the magnetopause. Key Points: Inward bow shock motion and a northward IMF orientation accompanied a large crater flux transfer event (FTE) seen by THEMIS‐CThe FTE moved dawnward and southward across the magnetopause, consistent with the observed orientation of IMF discontinuitiesThe properties of the crater FTE are more consistent with the pressure pulse model than with bursty reconnection [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Magnetic reconnection is a fundamental mechanism for the transport of mass and energy in planetary magnetospheres and astrospheres. While the process of reconnection is itself ubiquitous across a multitude of systems, the techniques used for its analysis can vary across scientific disciplines. Here we frame the latest understanding of reconnection theory by missions such as NASA's Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) mission for use throughout the solar system and beyond. We discuss how reconnection can couple magnetized obstacles to both sub- and super-magnetosonic upstream flows. In addition, we address the need to model sheath plasmas and field-line draping around an obstacle to accurately parameterize the possibility for reconnection to occur. We conclude with a discussion of how reconnection energy conversion rates scale throughout the solar system. The results presented are not only applicable to within our solar system but also to astrospheres and exoplanets, such as the first recently detected exoplanet magnetosphere of HAT-11-1b. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 1961, Dungey suggested that magnetic reconnection occurs due to the solar-terrestrial interaction. The interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) is thought to merge with Earth's geomagnetic field (GMF). After the reconnection process the newly formed magnetic flux tube, consisting of both the IMF and GMF, moves anti-sunward. Poleward-moving auroral forms (PMAFs) are believed to be the ionospheric signatures of this process, which transfers magnetic flux from the dayside to the nightside. This paper looks at the connection between the solar wind speed and the motion of the PMAF as it moves from the auroral oval, anti-sunward, into the polar cap. PMAFs are identified using both the meridian scanning photometer (MSP) and colored all-sky camera (ASC). Once the PMAFs are identified, the PMAF-SLOPE, v[sub α] (units of degrees per time) and the angle (αPMAF) the PMAF makes with the horizontal (Time axis), in the MSP plot are calculated. These values (vα and αPMAF) are individually plotted against the vx-component of the solar wind speed and the flow speed (total solar wind speed). The plots generate linear a relationship between PMAF-SLOPEs, vα, [or PMAF angles (αPMAF)], and the vx-component of the solar wind speed (or the flow speed). A total of 57 PMAF events from 8 different days were associated with solar wind speeds (vx-component) ranging from 344 to 679 km/s. The first linear plot, between the PMAF-SLOPE and solar wind speed (vx-component), shows a high correlation: rvα = 0.944. A second linear plot, between αPMAF and the solar wind speed (vx-component) shows a very high correlation: rα[sub PMAF] =0.973. The conclusions obtained from this statistical study are: 1) both the PMAF-SLOPE vα and αPMAF are highly correlated to the vx-component of the solar wind, increasing when vx increases and vice versa, 2) PMAFs must be connected to both the IMF and GMF and are dragged anti-sunward, mostly by the vx-component of the solar wind, and 3) PMAFs are indeed the ionospheric footprints of a newly formed magnetic flux tube, due to dayside magnetic reconnection, being transferred from the dayside to nightside. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Imaging missions in Earth Science, Heliophysics, and Astrophysics have made fundamental advancements in science and have helped to further our understanding of our natural environment. Here we review the Solar-Terrestrial Observer for the Response of the Magnetosphere (STORM) mission concept, a global solar wind-magnetosphere imaging mission and investigate how often STORM can observe and image its key science targets; the magnetopause, ring current, and auroral oval. We introduce a novel analysis which defines STORM’s plasma targets as discrete sample points in space, these points are collectively called point groups. These point groups are used in conjunction with fields-of-view of STORM’s imagers to quantify target visibility, how often the mission can observe each of its targets. The target visibility is combined with a statistical investigation of historical solar wind and geomagnetic data, and a k-folds/Monte Carlo analysis to quantify STORM’s science visibility. That is how often specific targets can be observed during elevated solar wind and geomagnetic conditions such that detailed science investigations can be completed to address STORM’s science objectives. This analysis is further expanded to potential dual-spacecraft mission configurations to determine the nominal inter-orbit phasing which maximizes target and science visibility. Overall, we find that the target and science visibility of a single spacecraft mission is large, in the 100s and 1000s of hours/events, while the target and science visibility peak for a dual-spacecraft mission where the two spacecraft are ∼85○ out of phase.

We present new analysis methods of 3D MHD output data from the Space Weather Modeling Framework during a simulated storm event. Earth's magnetosphere is identified in the simulation domain and divided based on magnetic topology and the bounding magnetopause definition. Volume energy contents and surface energy fluxes are analyzed for each subregion to track the energy transport in the system as the driving solar wind conditions change. Two energy pathways are revealed, one external and one internal. The external pathway between the magnetosheath and magnetosphere has magnetic energy flux entering the lobes and escaping through the closed field region and is consistent with previous work and theory. The internal pathway, which has never been studied in this manner, reveals magnetically dominated energy recirculating between open and closed field lines. The energy enters the lobes across the dayside magnetospheric cusps and escapes the lobes through the nightside plasmasheet boundary layer. This internal circulation directly controls the energy content in the lobes and the partitioning of the total energy between lobes and closed field line regions. Qualitative analysis of four‐field junction neighborhoods indicate the internal circulation pathway is controlled via the reconnection X‐line(s), and by extension, the interplanetary magnetic field orientation. These results allow us to make clear and quantifiable arguments about the energy dynamics of Earth's magnetosphere, and the role of the lobes as an expandable reservoir that cannot retain energy for long periods of time but can grow and shrink in energy content due to mismatch between incoming and outgoing energy flux. Plain Language Summary: Results of computer simulation of near Earth space is looked at in a new way to understand how energy moves around the global system. It is found that in addition to a pathway of energy from the outside into the system and back again there is an internal loop which recirculates energy. These new methods will greatly improve our understanding how the whole magnetosphere system evolves and will help address evolution of processes that have space weather impacts. Key Points: Simulation results are used to quantify the global energy dynamics of Earth's magnetosphere in terms of energy pathwaysExternally during main phase most energy lost is from the closed region due to magnetopause erosion while most energy gained is through the lobe boundaryInternally, large amounts of energy is recirculated at the cusp from the closed to open field, then passed back to the closed region in the tail [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reconnection at Earth's magnetopause drives magnetospheric convection and provides mass and energy input into the magnetosphere/ionosphere system thereby driving the coupling between solar wind and terrestrial magnetosphere. Despite its importance, the factors governing the location of dayside magnetopause reconnection are not well understood. Though a few models can predict X‐line locations reasonably well, the underlying physics is still unresolved. In this study we present results from a comparative analysis of 274 magnetic reconnection events as observed by the Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) mission to determine what quantities affect the accuracy of such models and are most strongly associated with the occurrence of dayside magnetopause reconnection. We also attempt to determine under what upstream solar wind conditions each global X‐line model becomes least reliable. Plain Language Summary: Magnetic reconnection is an energy transferring process that happens at the Earth's magnetopause, the boundary between Earth's local plasma environment and the Sun's interplanetary environment. Reconnection helps move energy and particles into the region of space surrounding the earth called the magnetosphere. Dayside reconnection is important because it is a defining element to the amount of energy deposited into our magnetosphere. Despite its importance, scientists still do not completely understand how it works and where it happens. This study looks at many observations of magnetic reconnection to try and understand its precise location and figure out under which conditions it is more likely to occur. This paper compares in situ data with different models for predicting reconnection locations. Key Points: Compared four different reconnection line modelsOn average, the Maximum Bisection Field Model gives the best prediction of reconnection line locationThe Maximum Exhaust Velocity model gives the worst prediction of the reconnection line location [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 1961, Dungey suggested that magnetic reconnection occurs due to the solar-terrestrial interaction. The interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) is thought to merge with Earth’s geomagnetic field (GMF). After the reconnection process the newly formed magnetic flux tube, consisting of both the IMF and GMF, moves anti-sunward. Poleward-moving auroral forms (PMAFs) are believed to be the ionospheric signatures of this process, which transfers magnetic flux from the dayside to the nightside. This paper looks at the connection between the solar wind speed and the motion of the PMAF as it moves from the auroral oval, anti-sunward, into the polar cap. PMAFs are identified using both the meridian scanning photometer (MSP) and colored all-sky camera (ASC). Once the PMAFs are identified, the PMAF-SLOPE, vα (units of degrees per time) and the angle (αPMAF) the PMAF makes with the horizontal (Time axis), in the MSP plot are calculated. These values (vα and αPMAF) are individually plotted against the vx-component of the solar wind speed and the flow speed (total solar wind speed). The plots generate linear a relationship between PMAF-SLOPEs, vα, [or PMAF angles (αPMAF)], and the vx-component of the solar wind speed (or the flow speed). A total of 57 PMAF events from 8 different days were associated with solar wind speeds (vx-component) ranging from 344 to 679 km/s. The first linear plot, between the PMAF-SLOPE and solar wind speed (vx-component), shows a high correlation: rvα=0.944. A second linear plot, between αPMAF and the solar wind speed (vx-component) shows a very high correlation: rαPMAF=0.973. The conclusions obtained from this statistical study are: 1) both the PMAF-SLOPE vα and αPMAF are highly correlated to the vx-component of the solar wind, increasing when vx increases and vice versa, 2) PMAFs must be connected to both the IMF and GMF and are dragged anti-sunward, mostly by the vx-component of the solar wind, and 3) PMAFs are indeed the ionospheric footprints of a newly formed magnetic flux tube, due to dayside magnetic reconnection, being transferred from the dayside to nightside.

We investigate a 15‐day period in October 2011. Auroral observations by the Special Sensor Ultraviolet Spectrographic Imager instrument onboard the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program F16, F17, and F18 spacecraft indicate that the polar regions were covered by weak cusp‐aligned arc (CAA) emissions whenever the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) clock angle was small, |θ| < 45°, which amounted to 30% of the time. Simultaneous observations of ions and electrons in the tail by the Cluster C4 and Geotail spacecraft showed that during these intervals dense (≈1 cm−3) plasma was observed, even as far from the equatorial plane of the tail as |ZGSE| ≈ 13 RE. The ions had a pitch angle distribution peaking parallel and antiparallel to the magnetic field and the electrons had pitch angles that peaked perpendicular to the field. We interpret the counter‐streaming ions and double loss‐cone electrons as evidence that the plasma was trapped on closed field lines, and acted as a source for the CAA emission across the polar regions. This suggests that the magnetosphere was almost entirely closed during these periods. We further argue that the closure occurred as a consequence of dual‐lobe reconnection. Our finding forces a significant re‐evaluation of the magnetic topology of the magnetosphere during periods of northwards IMF. Plain Language Summary: The magnetosphere is usually assumed to contain both open and closed magnetic flux. Closed magnetic field lines have both ends connected to the Earth; open field lines connect to the Earth at one end and into the interplanetary medium at the other. There tends to be little plasma on open field lines as the particles escape down the magnetotail, whereas plasma on closed field lines is trapped. Open flux near the poles naturally explains the oval configuration of Earth's auroras, with a lack of auroras at very high latitudes where there is no plasma to cause emissions. Somewhat unexpectedly, we show that auroral emission near the poles is common and that at these times there is significant plasma in the magnetotail, indicating that the magnetosphere contains only closed flux. We propose that this magnetic configuration is formed by a process known as dual‐lobe magnetic reconnection which occurs when the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) within the solar wind points northwards. We must re‐evaluate the standard picture of magnetospheric structure during these periods of northwards IMF. Key Points: Cusp‐aligned arcs (CAAs) observed by the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program spacecraft occur frequently for northward interplanetary magnetic fieldCluster and Geotail observations show that the arcs are accompanied by trapped plasma at high latitudes in the magnetotailWe interpret CAAs as a signature of a magnetosphere almost entirely closed by dual‐lobe reconnection [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mercury possesses a miniature but dynamic magnetosphere driven primarily by the solar wind through magnetic reconnection. A prominent feature of the dayside magnetopause reconnection that has been frequently observed is flux transfer events (FTEs), which are thought to be an important player in driving the global convection at Mercury. Using the BATSRUS Hall magnetohydrodynamics model with coupled planetary interior, we have conducted a series of global simulations to investigate the generation and characteristics of FTEs under different solar wind Alfvénic Mach numbers (MA) and interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) orientations. An automated algorithm was also developed to consistently identify FTEs and extract their key properties from the simulations. In all simulations driven by steady upstream conditions, FTEs are formed quasi‐periodically with recurrence time ranging from 2 to 9 s, and their characteristics vary in time as they evolve and interact with the surrounding plasma and magnetic field. Our statistical analysis of the simulated FTEs reveals that the key properties of FTEs, including spatial size, traveling speed and core field strength, all exhibit notable dependence on the solar wind MA and IMF orientation, and the trends identified from the simulations are generally consistent with previous MErcury Surface Space ENvironment, GEochemistry, and Ranging observations. It is also found that FTEs formed in the simulations contribute about 3%–13% of the total open flux created at the dayside magnetopause that participates in the global circulation, suggesting that FTEs indeed play an important role in driving the Dungey cycle at Mercury. Key Points: 3D global Hall magnetohydrodynamics simulations and an automated identification algorithm are developed to study flux transfer event formation and associated dynamics at MercuryProperties of simulated FTEs agree well with MErcury Surface Space ENvironment, GEochemistry, and Ranging (MESSENGER) observations and exhibit clear dependence on solar wind MA and interplanetary magnetic field orientationFTEs make a significant contribution to the open flux generation in Mercury's magnetosphere, consistent with previous MESSENGER findings [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a general consensus that fluctuations in the solar wind magnetic field and/or the Alfvenicity of the solar wind drive a solar wind-magnetosphere interaction. 11 years of hourly-averaged solar wind and magnetospheric geomagnetic indices are used to further examine this hypothesis in detail, confirming that geomagnetic activity statistically increases with the amplitude of upstream fluctuations and with the Alfvénicity, even when solar-wind reconnection driver functions are weak and reconnection on the dayside magnetopause should vanish. A comparison finds that the fluctuation-amplitude effect appears to be stronger than the Alfvénicity effect. In contradiction to the generally accepted hypothesis of driving an interaction, it is also demonstrated that many solar wind parameters are correlated with the fluctuation amplitude and the Alfvénicity. As a result, we caution against immediately concluding that the latter two parameters physically drive the overall solar-wind/magnetosphere interaction: the fluctuation amplitude and Alfvénicity could be acting as proxies for other more-relevant variables. More decisive studies are needed, perhaps focusing on the roles of ubiquitous solar-wind strong current sheets and velocity shears, which drive the measured amplitudes and Alfvénicities of the upstream solar-wind fluctuations.

The main question addressed in this study is whether particles with relativistic energy can be injected directly into the inner magnetosphere by very near‐Earth reconnection during magnetic storms. We study a sequence of events observed in the solar wind, in the magnetotail, at geosynchronous orbit (GEO), in the inner magnetosphere, and in the ionosphere during the main phase of a geomagnetic storm on 16 June 2012–17 June 2012. The storm was caused by a magnetic cloud with a high dynamic pressure and a strong southward IMF lasting about 10 hr. These conditions caused an extreme compression of the magnetosphere (SymH reached ∼150 nT) and an enhancement of the lobe magnetic field strength to ∼90 nT at R ∼ 10 Earth radii (RE). We focus on an hour‐long interval between 1050 and 1150 UT on 17 June 2012 when the Time History of Events and Macroscale Interactions during Substorms (THEMIS) satellites were at apogee at geocentric distances R ≈ 12 RE near midnight. At that time a thin current sheet formed between cis‐GEO distances and THEMIS. This thin current sheet reconnected between GEO and THEMIS. A strong lobe magnetic field enabled ion and electron energization to energies E ≈ 600 keV. Fluxes of high energy (up to relativistic) particles at GEO increased within ≈20 s after reconnection onset detected by THEMIS. Fluxes of relativistic electrons at L ∼ 4 in the morning sector increased within about 600 s after reconnection onset. We interpret these observations as signatures of direct injection of reconnected particles into the inner magnetosphere. Plain Language Summary: Solar flares, coronal mass ejection events may cause severe disturbances in the near‐Earth space environment called magnetic storms. During a magnetic storm the Earth magnetosphere experiences quite dramatic changes that include rapid reconfiguration of magnetic field lines that leads to conversion of the magnetic energy to kinetic and thermal energy of the space plasma (reconnection) and acceleration of charged particles. The accelerated particles and plasmas from the outer magnetosphere may penetrate deeper into the near‐Earth space, where the magnetic field is close to a dipole. Particles become trapped in the dipole field and form an electric current that flows around the Earth (ring current) and reduce the magnetic field observed on the ground. Details of the ring current formation are not well understood yet. In this paper we study a magnetic storm during which reconnection happened very close to the dipole field and particles, energized via reconnection were directly injected into the inner magnetosphere. Events like this are potentially hazardous for satellites on geosynchronous orbit and in the inner magnetosphere. Key Points: We studied space‐ and ground‐based observations during a storm caused by magnetic cloud impactOur observations suggest that a thin current sheet formed and reconnected at L about 10Reconnection caused relativistic particle injections into the inner magnetosphere [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Geospace plasma simulations have progressed toward more realistic descriptions of the solar wind–magnetosphere interaction from magnetohydrodynamic to hybrid ion‐kinetic, such as the state‐of‐the‐art Vlasiator model. Despite computational advances, electron scales have been out of reach in a global setting. eVlasiator, a novel Vlasiator submodule, shows for the first time how electromagnetic fields driven by global hybrid‐ion kinetics influence electrons, resulting in kinetic signatures. We analyze simulated electron distributions associated with reconnection sites and compare them with Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) spacecraft observations. Comparison with MMS shows that key electron features, such as reconnection inflows, heated outflows, flat‐top distributions, and bidirectional streaming, are in remarkable agreement. Thus, we show that many reconnection‐related features can be reproduced despite strongly truncated electron physics and an ion‐scale spatial resolution. Ion‐scale dynamics and ion‐driven magnetic fields are shown to be significantly responsible for the environment that produces electron dynamics observed by spacecraft in near‐Earth plasmas. Plain Language Summary: The near‐Earth space environment is driven by the solar wind, a thin mixture of ions (mostly protons) and electrons carrying the magnetic field of the Sun. The interaction of this plasma with the Earth's magnetic field produces space weather phenomena, such as aurorae and geomagnetic storms. Supercomputer simulations are an invaluable tool in studying the environment, providing a global view of our magnetosphere—as far as there is enough computational power to resolve the relevant physical processes. Modern simulation codes, such as Vlasiator, can model the environment in great detail at least for the behavior of the ions, providing new insights beyond previous fluid‐scale models. However, detailed electron physics is required to fully understand the near‐Earth space environment at microscales, especially at reconnection sites where the magnetic fields from the Earth and Sun interact. This work uses the new eVlasiator module of Vlasiator to probe electron physics on a global scale, showing electron behavior that is consistent with satellite observations at several locations. Key Points: We present a survey of kinetic electron distribution functions in a global Vlasov model of the Earth's magnetosphereIon‐scale background fields yield electron distributions consistent with Magnetospheric Multiscale observationsParallel electric fields are observed at the magnetopause, coincident with a flat‐top electron distribution [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The response times of the coupled magnetosphere-ionosphere-thermosphere system are, on average, greater than the autocorrelation timescales of solar wind forcing. This means that the system is rarely, if ever, in equilibrium. Departures from equilibrium are a key component of the Expanding-Contracting Polar Cap (ECPC) model of convection excitation in both the magnetosphere and ionosphere, driven by the Dungey reconnection cycle of opening and re-closing magnetospheric field lines. Averaging over sufficiently long timescales reduces data to the equivalent of steady-state conditions, which hides the physical mechanisms involved and allows us to map electric fields from interplanetary space to the ionosphere–but this is not valid, either physically or generally, because of magnetic induction effects. Only for transient phenomena on sufficiently short timescales do the mechanisms associated with non-equilibrium fully manifest themselves. Nevertheless, because of both ever-changing solar wind conditions and Earth’s dipole tilt, eccentricity and rotation, the magnetosphere is always tending towards a perpetually-evolving equilibrium configuration and there are important implications of transient events for understanding the general behavior of the coupled magnetosphere-ionosphere-thermosphere system and its response to solar wind forcing. We here discuss one example: as a consequence of the importance of departures from equilibrium inherent in the ECPC model, the solar wind dynamic pressure PSW influences the magnetosphere-ionosphere convection response to the generation of open field lines by reconnection in the dayside subsolar magnetopause. We here demonstrate this effect in a statistical survey of observations and show that it is as predicted by the ECPC model and that, through it, PSW has an influence on flux transport in the magnetosphere-ionosphere system.

Analysis of Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution (MAVEN)/Supra‐Thermal And Thermal Ion Composition observations in the Martian upper atmosphere, bounded at higher altitudes by the shocked solar wind, shows that the draping of interplanetary magnetic field penetrates down to low altitudes (∼200−250 km) and governs dynamics of the ionosphere. The upper ionospheric plasma is driven into motion flowing around Mars similar to the shocked solar wind in the adjacent magnetosheath. Such a fluid‐like motion is accompanied by ion acceleration caused by the bending of the magnetic field, leading to ion extraction and finally to ion pickup. Extraction of ions and their acceleration produces a recoil effect of the bulk ionosphere in the opposite direction. This provides a strong asymmetry in ion dynamics in two different hemispheres, accompanied by wrapping of the magnetic field lines around Mars and respective reconnection. Plain Language Summary: Although the Martian magnetosphere is hybrid and contains components of the induced and intrinsic magnetosphere, is possible to display these components by using the specific coordinate systems. Here we study the properties of the induced magnetosphere using the data obtained by MAVEN spacecraft. The interplanetary magnetic field penetrates deep into the Martian ionosphere draping around Mars and drive to the motion dense ionospheric plasma. Draping features and the induced plasma motions occur different in two hemispheres determined by the direction of the motional electric field in the solar wind. Ion acceleration and extraction is accompanied by a recoil effect that leads to a shift and asymmetry of the ionosphere. Key Points: Draping of the interplanetary magnetic field around Mars penetrates deep to the ionosphere enveloping the planet and driving the ionosphere to the bulk motionDraping and motion of the ionospheric plasma is characterized by asymmetry by the direction of the motional electric field in solar windIon acceleration and extraction from the ionosphere is accompanied by a shift of the bulk ionosphere in the opposite direction [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Magnetosheath jets travel from the bow shock toward the magnetopause, and some of them eventually impact it. Jet impacts have recently been linked to triggering magnetopause reconnection in case studies by Hietala et al. (2018, https://doi.org/10.1002/2017gl076525) and Nykyri et al. (2019, https://doi.org/10.1029/2018ja026357). In this study, we focus on the enhancing or suppressing effect jets could have on reconnection by locally altering the magnetic shear via their own magnetic fields. Using observations from the years 2008–2011 made by the Time History of Events and Macroscale Interactions during Substorms spacecraft and solar wind OMNI data, we statistically study for the first time BZ within jets in the Geocentric Solar Magnetospheric coordinates. We find that BZ opposite to the prevailing interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) BZ is roughly as common in jets as in the non‐jet magnetosheath near the magnetopause, but these observations are distributed differently. 60–70% of jet intervals contain bursts of opposite polarity BZ in comparison to around 40% of similar non‐jet intervals. The median duration of such a burst in jets is 10 s and strength is ±10nT. We also investigate the prevalence of the type of strong BZ≤−24nT pulses that Nykyri et al. (2019, https://doi.org/10.1029/2018ja026357) linked to a substorm onset. In our data set, such pulses were observed in around 13% of jets. Our statistical results indicate that jets may have the potential to affect local magnetopause reconnection via their magnetic fields. Future studies are needed to determine whether such effects can be observed. Plain Language Summary: Fast earthward flows called jets are often observed within the magnetosheath. They form at the Earth's bow shock, where the solar wind is slowed down before diverting around the magnetosphere. These jets may hit the boundary of the magnetosphere, the magnetopause, with high dynamic pressure. Such impacts have been observed to trigger magnetic reconnection, in which the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) of the solar wind connects with the Earth's magnetic field and solar wind can enter the magnetosphere. Magnetopause reconnection usually occurs when the IMF points southward, opposite to the Earth's northward field. However, jets have been proposed to trigger reconnection also during northward IMF. We study the magnetic field within jets using data from the Time History of Events and Macroscale Interactions during Substorms spacecraft and solar wind OMNI data from 2008–2011. We find that it is statistically more likely for a magnetosheath interval, associated with jet conditions, to exhibit short pulses of magnetic field directed opposite to the upstream IMF, than for a non‐jet interval of the same duration. Therefore, jets may have the potential to affect local reconnection at the magnetopause. Our results motivate future studies that investigate these possible jet‐related effects on reconnection. Key Points: A statistical study of BZ in jets is conducted using Time History of Events and Macroscale Interactions during Substorms 2008–2011 data from the subsolar magnetosheath60‐70% of jet intervals contain a pulse of BZ opposite to the interplanetary magnetic field BZ while majority of non‐jet intervals do notThe median duration of the longest opposite BZ burst in jets is ∼10s and strength is ∼±10nT [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Waves driven by electron beams are frequently observed within the narrow separatrices of magnetic reconnection. Strong plasma instabilities can grow from mixing between the reconnection inflow and outflow, resulting in electron heating which ultimately influences the reconnection process. Observations of a separatrix encounter by the Magnetospheric MultiScale mission on July 11, 2017 feature an anti‐parallel electron beam accelerated in a sub‐ion‐scale layer containing high amplitude (>50 mV/m) electrostatic waves. In two consecutive separatrix crossings, one exhibits faster electron beams, greater magnetic shear, higher amplitude waves, and more electron heating than the other. The observations suggest that variable reconnection outflow pressure is associated with these changes. Coincident with lower hybrid waves are Buneman and beam‐mode instabilities, likely responsible for parallel heating of electrons. Dissipation (J⋅E) within the mixing layer is found to be negative where wave activity is strongest, indicating a slowing of electrons and growth of electromagnetic fields likely related to local thinning of the separatrix. Calculation of momentum balance via the generalized Ohm's law indicates an overall imbalance of >40 mV/m in the more extreme separatrix crossing, requiring a significant dissipative term or error in the electron inertial term to make up the remainder. Finally, an analysis of quasi‐viscous heating shows that active heating of electrons is more prevalent in the presence of a high speed electron inflow and increased magnetic shear. Plain Language Summary: Magnetic reconnection is a process which converts magnetic energy into kinetic energy of charged particles. Particles flowing into a region of reconnection are separated from those in the outflow by a narrow region called the separatrix. We look at a reconnection event observed by the Magnetospheric Multiscale mission where the separatrix appears to be compressed over time. When in the compressed state, violent wave activity is observed which enables mixing between inflowing and outflowing plasma. These waves heat electrons in the inflow, partially counteracting the thinning of the separatrix layer. Detailed analysis reveals evidence for other small scale, non‐ideal processes which may be responsible for acceleration of the inflow electrons as well. Since the inflow feeds in to the reconnection site, electron heating and acceleration by compression may act as a feedback mechanism for the reconnection process. Key Points: A rapidly evolving separatrix exhibits thinning, increased shear, and enhanced electron beams associated with changes in the ion outflowEvaluation of force balance shows contributions from time variation, electron inertia, or the resistive term may be significantQuasi‐viscous effects qualitatively agree with predictions and are largest in the region of increased shear and enhanced inflow [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During magnetic reconnection in collisionless space plasma, the electron fluid decouples from the magnetic field within narrow current layers, and theoretical models for this process can be distinguished in terms of their predicted current layer widths. From theory, the off‐diagonal stress in the electron pressure tensor is related to the thermal noncircular orbit motion of electrons around the magnetic field lines. This stress becomes significant when the width of the reconnecting current layer approaches the small characteristic length scale of the electron motion. To aid in situ spacecraft and numerical investigations of reconnection, the structure of the electron diffusion region is here investigated using the Terrestrial Reconnection Experiment. In agreement with the closely matched kinetic simulations, laboratory observations reveal the presence of electron‐scale current layer widths. Although the layers are modulated by a current‐driven instability, three‐dimensional simulations demonstrate that it is the off‐diagonal stress that is responsible for breaking the frozen‐in condition of the electron fluid. Plain Language Summary: "Space weather" describes the conditions of the plasma surrounding the Earth, which can have a severe impact on the functionality of spacecraft as well as the health of human space travelers. Space weather and the dynamics of space plasmas in general are closely linked to the structure and topology of the magnetic fields permeating our solar system. By a process called magnetic reconnection, magnetic field lines can rapidly and suddenly break and reconfigure their connectivity, allowing for an explosive release of magnetic energy. This phenomenon is at the origin of explosive events such as solar flares and is the driver of magnetic storms in the Earth's magnetosphere powering the Auroras. We present new laboratory observations of this near‐Earth reconnection process recreated in the Terrestrial Reconnection Experiment. The experiment provides detailed measurements of the width of the region where the magnetic field lines break, the electron diffusion region (EDR). Consistent with supercomputer simulations of reconnection, the width of the EDR is measured to be set by the fine spatial scale of the electron orbit motions. As such, the observations provide renewed evidence that the reconnection process is mediated by forces of thermal stress related to the electron motion within the reconnection region. Key Points: The structure of the electron diffusion region is important to reconnection in space plasmaThe widths of laboratory electron reconnection layers match those of kinetic simulationsKinetic simulations show that the electron pressure tensor breaks the electron frozen flux condition [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An assessment of our physics-based understanding of solar-wind/magnetosphere coupling finds that the understanding is not complete. Solar-wind/magnetosphere coupling is foundational to magnetospheric physics and it is a key to comprehending and predicting space weather. We are modestly successful at correlating solar-wind variables with geomagnetic indices, but we lack the full knowledge to describe in detail how the shocked solar-wind plasma transports mass, momentum, and energy into the magnetosphere-ionosphere system and how the shocked solar wind drives geomagnetic activity and magnetospheric evolution. The controlling solar-wind factors that govern the driving of the magnetosphere-ionosphere system are not accurately known. Without this knowledge accurate predictions of the magnetospheric behavior cannot be made and no magnetosphere-ionosphere model will work correctly if it is driven incorrectly. Further, without a fundamental understanding, the prediction of the system reaction to some as-yet-unseen extreme solar-wind conditions will not be possible. In this perspective article several gaps in our knowledge are cataloged. The deficiencies in our physical understanding of solar-wind/magnetosphere coupling constitute a major unsolved problem for space physics (and for astrophysics), a problem that demands enhanced, coordinated research.

To investigate the diurnal variations of the magnetopause boundary under different Interplanetary Magnetic Field (IMF) orientations during the solstice season, we implemented a multifluid magnetohydrodynamic model of Uranus' magnetosphere in combination with Voyager 2 observations, which provided a good ability to simulate and predict the variability of the magnetospheric boundaries. In this study, we quantitatively studied Uranus' magnetopause in terms of the subsolar stand‐off distance and the flaring parameter and tracked the variation in cusp indentation, which are good indicators to describe the general topology of the boundary. During this season, the stand‐off distance fluctuated within a small range. In contrast, the flaring parameter and cusp indentation were strongly impacted by Uranus' rotation. Meanwhile, the IMF orientation also modulated the variation of the flaring parameter and cusp indentation. These results show that the asymmetry of the magnetopause is highly dependent on the rotation of Uranus and its IMF orientations. Plain Language Summary: The magnetopause of Uranus is the upstream boundary of Uranus' global magnetosphere and the solar wind, which has not sufficiently studied since there was only one fly‐by measurement by Voyager 2 spacecraft. To investigate the variation of magnetopause is important for us to deeply understand the magnetospheric dynamics of Uranus and can help us predict the space environment when future spacecrafts encounter Uranus. We utilized a multifluid magnetohydrodynamic model to study Uranus' magnetopause, based on the measurement by Voyager 2 mission. The results reveal that the boundary structure is highly asymmetric and dynamic and is mainly controlled by the planetary rotation and modulated by the Interplanetary Magnetic Field orientation. Key Points: The magnetopause of Uranus is very dynamic and asymmetric on a daily basisThe characteristics of the magnetopause stand‐off distance, flaring parameter, and cusp indentation are important to study the magnetopauseOur results indicate that the magnetopause morphology is mainly controlled by the planetary rotation and modulated by the IMF orientation [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The largest moon in the solar system, Ganymede, is the only moon known to possess a strong intrinsic magnetic field and a corresponding magnetosphere. Using the latest version of Space Weather Modeling Framework (SWMF), we study the upstream plasma interactions and dynamics in this sub‐Alfvénic system. Results from the Hall magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) and the coupled MHD with embedded particle‐in‐cell (MHD‐EPIC) models are compared. We find that under steady upstream conditions, magnetopause reconnection occurs in a nonsteady manner, and the energy partition between electrons and ions is different in the two models. Flux ropes of Ganymede's radius in length form on the magnetopause at a rate about 3 min and create spatiotemporal variations in plasma and field properties. Upon reaching proper grid resolutions, the MHD‐EPIC model can resolve both electron and ion kinetics at the magnetopause and show localized nongyrotropic behavior inside the diffusion region. The estimated global reconnection rate from the models is about 80 kV with 60% efficiency, and there is weak evidence of ∼1 min periodicity in the temporal variations due to the dynamic reconnection process. Key Points: Simulated flux rope of the length of Ganymede's radius forms at a rate of ∼2 min at the upstream magnetopauseIon and electron scale kinetic physics near the reconnection site are revealed with coupled kinetic modelA general and robust method to measure the global reconnection rate is proposed [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new study of Magnetospheric Multiscale Mission (MMS) measurements in the Earth's magnetotail, presented by Zhong et al. (2020, https://doi.org/10.1029/2019GL085141) finds that enhanced energetic electrons in a reconnection‐generated ion‐scale flux rope in the magnetotail are due to the adiabatic processes of betatron and Fermi (curvature drift) acceleration. These mechanisms act, respectively, on the perpendicular and parallel components of the distribution function so that the role of these mechanisms may be distinctly identified. This study presents a useful template for studying in situ electron energization and contributes significantly to the ongoing discussion of the role of mesoscale structure in reconnection‐driven particle acceleration throughout the heliosphere. Plain Language Summary: Magnetic reconnection is an explosive plasma process thought to play a key role in generating high‐energy particles in space plasmas. Recent observations and simulations have revealed that coherent magnetic structures known as flux ropes are likely to be important in the acceleration process. However, while energetic particles have often been observed in flux ropes, direct identification of the acceleration mechanism(s) was difficult due to the limited resolution of the measurements. A new study by Zhong et al. (2020) uses high‐resolution Magnetospheric Multiscale Mission (MMS) measurements of a flux rope in the Earth's magnetotail in order to identify the accelerationmechanisms at play and link them to "smoking gun" signatures in the electron distribution functions. This study highlights the value of high‐resolution magnetospheric observations and points to exciting opportunities for future in situ investigations of reconnection‐driven particle energization. Key Points: A new study by Zhong et al. (2020) uses high‐resolution MMS measurements to identify acceleration mechanisms in a magnetotail flux ropeThis study highlights the role of mesoscale structure in reconnection‐driven plasma energization [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Poleward‐moving auroral form (PMAF) is a type of dayside auroral pattern. The distinguishing characteristic of a PMAF is its separation from the auroral oval and subsequent poleward motion. It has been reported and widely accepted that PMAFs occur more frequently during periods with dominant southward interplanetary magnetic field (IMF). However, most ground‐based optical observations were made near magnetic latitudes of 75°, close to the equatorward boundary of the dayside auroral oval; therefore, PMAFs occurring at the poleward boundary were likely missed easily. Using all‐sky images from two stations located on the similar magnetic meridian in Antarctica at 80° and 75° magnetic latitude, and taking solar wind data close to the magnetosphere by the Time History of Events and Macroscale Interactions during Substorms (THEMIS) spacecraft, we demonstrate that unlike the result from prior low‐latitude single‐station observations, the combined observations from both stations show an insignificant difference in the PMAF occurrence rate in the northward and southward IMF conditions and no clear sign suggesting that the southward IMF or southward turning of the IMF triggers PMAFs. With good agreements between PMAF occurrence rate and the intensity of the poleward drift, we suggest that PMAFs are more likely to be plasma patches torn away from the dayside auroral oval convecting antisunward and rather than direct foot points of reconnecting flux tubes. Key Points: We demonstrate that the observed frequency of PMAF occurrence and its relation with IMF depend on the choice of the observing locationCombined PMAF occurrence rates observed at two stations spanning the auroral region show no significant increase with southward BzPMAFs are more likely to be directly driven by plasma convection rather than by flux transfer events [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report the observation of solar wind‐magnetosphere‐ionosphere interactions using a series of flux transfer events (FTEs) observed by Magnetospheric MultiScale (MMS) mission located near the dayside magnetopause on 18 December 2017. The FTEs were observed to propagate duskward and either southward or slightly northward, as predicted under duskward and southward interplanetary magnetic field (IMF). The Cooling model also predicted a significant dawnward propagation of northward‐moving FTEs. Near the MMS footprint, a series of poleward‐moving auroral forms (PMAFs) occurred almost simultaneously with those FTEs. They propagated poleward and westward, consistent with the modeled FTE propagation. The intervals between FTEs, relatively consistent with those between PMAFs, strongly suggest a one‐to‐one correspondence between the dayside transients and ionospheric responses. The FTEs embedded in continuous reconnection observed by MMS and corresponding PMAFs individually occurred during persistent auroral activity recorded by an all‐sky imager strongly indicate that those FTEs/PMAFs resulted from the temporal modulation of the reconnection rate during continuous reconnection. With the decay of the PMAFs associated with the FTEs, patch‐like plasma density enhancements were detected to form and propagate poleward and then dawnward. Propagation to the dawn was also suggested by the Super Dual Auroral Radar Network (SuperDARN) convection and Global Positioning System (GPS) total electron content data. We relate the temporal variation of the driving solar‐wind and magnetospheric mechanism to that of the high‐latitude and polar ionospheric responses and estimate the response time. Plain Language Summary: The solar wind‐magnetosphere coupling often occurs in a nonsteady manner. Such disturbances modify the magnetosphere‐ionosphere system. One of the most common/important processes of such nonsteady phenomena is time‐dependent dayside reconnection, as observationally evidenced by flux transfer events (FTEs), which have been, in turn, represented by ionospheric poleward‐moving auroral forms (PMAFs). Decaying PMAFs have, then, been followed by the occurrence of polar cap patches, which are regions of plasma density enhancements observed in the polar cap. This study indicates a sequence of dynamic processes from the driving solar wind, nonsteady reconnection/FTEs, PMAFs, and polar cap patches. Although a portion of this link has been studied and reported, the complete sequence of these connections and full picture of the solar wind‐magnetopause‐ionosphere coupling have rarely been reported and examined. The series of FTEs embedded in continuous reconnection and corresponding PMAFs individually occurred during persistent auroral activity strongly indicate that the FTEs and PMAFs were in response to the temporal modulation of the reconnection rate during continuous reconnection, rather than the repeated, complete turn‐on and turnoff of dayside reconnection. Our study advances the knowledge of Magnetosphere‐Ionosphere‐Coupling near the cusp region and in the open field‐line region that has been less developed than on closed field lines. Key Points: Multiple flux transfer events (FTEs) were observed to form on the dayside magnetopause under southward and duskward IMFGround‐based observations indicate the poleward‐moving plasma streams or auroral forms (PMAFs) associated with the FTEsDevelopment and transpolar motion of polar cap patches following the PMAFs complete the link of solar wind‐magnetosphere‐ionosphere coupling [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report an event of two‐satellite measurements of simultaneous earthward and tailward fast flows of ~500 km/s in the midtail at X ~ −63 RE and evaluate magnetic reconnection as a responsible mechanism by comparing the observations with a particle‐in‐cell (PIC) simulation. The two satellites were near midnight separated mainly along the X direction by ~5 RE. As they moved across the current sheet from the northern to southern lobes, the one closer to the Earth crossed the x line with fast flows changing from tailward to earthward, while the other one simultaneously observed tailward flows. The observed plasma and fields showed several key reconnection signatures, including the Walén relation, the fast reconnection rate of ~0.1, the Hall magnetic and electric fields, and counterstreaming electrons in the separatrix, indicating the fast flow was the reconnection exhaust. The observed temporal variations of flow speeds and magnetic fields suggested that the x line was moving tailward to a location between the two satellites and the exhaust was moving up and down. Within the exhaust, plasma pressure was highly anisotropic, and the current sheet can be unstable to the mirror, ion cyclotron, and firehose instabilities. Current sheet flapping and enhanced compressional waves near proton's local gyro frequencies were observed around the current sheet. Comparing with the PIC simulation suggests that the waves were mainly a result of oblique firehose instability. Key Points: Earthward and tailward fast flows were observed simultaneously by two ARTEMIS probes in midtailThe characteristics of the fast flows are consistent with the reconnection exhaustEnhanced compressional ULF waves observed within the fast flow were likely a result of oblique firehose instability [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Magnetic reconnection is a fundamental process of energy conversion in plasmas between electromagnetic fields and particles. Magnetic reconnection has been observed directly in a variety of plasmas in the solar wind and Earth's magnetosphere. Most recently, electron magnetic reconnection without ion coupling was observed for the first time in the turbulent magnetosheath and within the transition region of Earth's bow shock. In the ion foreshock upstream of Earth's bow shock, there may also be magnetic reconnection especially around foreshock transients that are very turbulent and dynamic. With observations from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's Magnetospheric Multiscale mission inside foreshock transients, we report two events of magnetic reconnection with and without a strong guide field, respectively. In both events, a super‐ion‐Alfvénic electron jet was observed within a current sheet with thickness less than or comparable to one ion inertial length. In both events, energy was converted from the magnetic field to electrons, manifested as an increase in electron temperature. Weak or no ion coupling was observed in either event. Results from particle‐in‐cell simulations of magnetic reconnection with and without a strong guide field are qualitatively consistent with observations. Our results imply that magnetic reconnection is another electron acceleration/heating process inside foreshock transients and could play an important role in shock dynamics. Key Points: We show two observation events of magnetic reconnection in foreshock transients with and without a strong guide field, respectivelyWe identified a super‐ion‐Alfvénic electron outflow, positive j · E′, and the electron temperature increases without strong ion couplingObservation results are qualitatively consistent with particle‐in‐cell simulation results [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At the Earth's magnetopause, the Kelvin‐Helmholtz (KH) instability, driven by the persistent velocity shear between the magnetosheath and the magnetosphere, has been frequently observed during northward interplanetary magnetic field periods and considered as one of the most important candidates for transporting and mixing plasmas across the magnetopause. However, how this process interacts with magnetic field fluctuations, which persistently exist near the magnetopause, has been less discussed. Here we perform a series of 2‐D fully kinetic simulations of the KH instability at the magnetopause considering a power law spectrum of initial fluctuations in the magnetic field. The simulations demonstrate that when the amplitude level of the initial fluctuations is sufficiently large, the KH instability evolves faster, leading to a more efficient plasma mixing within the vortex layer. In addition, when the spectral index of the initial fluctuations is sufficiently small, the modes whose wavelength is longer than the theoretical fastest growing mode grow dominantly. The fluctuating magnetic field also results in the formation of the well‐matured turbulent spectrum with a −5/3 index within the vortex layer even in the early nonlinear growth phase of the KH instability. The obtained spectral features in the simulations are in reasonable agreement with the features in KH waves events at the magnetopause observed by the Magnetospheric Multiscale mission and conjunctively by the Geotail and Cluster spacecraft. These results indicate that the magnetic field fluctuations may really contribute to enhancing the wave activities especially for longer wavelength modes and the associated mixing at the magnetopause. Key Points: The 2‐D fully kinetic simulations of magnetopause Kelvin‐Helmholtz instability initially imposing power law field fluctuations are performedThe growth of the instability especially for long wavelength modes is enhanced by the fluctuating field, leading to more efficient mixingSpectral features obtained from the simulations are in reasonable agreement with past spacecraft observations at the Earth's magnetopause [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reviews our current understanding of auroral features that appear poleward of the main auroral oval within the polar cap, especially those that are known as Sun-aligned arcs, transpolar arcs, or theta auroras. They tend to appear predominantly during periods of quiet geomagnetic activity or northwards directed interplanetary magnetic field (IMF). We also introduce polar rain aurora which has been considered as a phenomenon on open field lines. We describe the morphology of such auroras, their development and dynamics in response to solar wind-magnetosphere coupling processes, and the models that have been developed to explain them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigate the average configuration and structure of Saturn's magnetosphere in the nightside equatorial and high‐latitude regions. Electron data from the Cassini Plasma Spectrometer's Electron Spectrometer (CAPS‐ELS) is processed to produce a signal‐to‐noise ratio for the entire CAPS‐ELS time of operation at Saturn's magnetosphere. We investigate where the signal‐to‐noise ratio falls below 1 to identify regions in the magnetosphere where there is a significant depletion in the electron content. In the nightside equatorial region, we use this to find that the most planetward reconnection x‐line location is at 20–25 RS downtail from the planet in the midnight to dawn sector. We also find an equatorial dawn‐dusk asymmetry at a radial distance of >20 RS, which may indicate the presence of plasma‐depleted flux tubes returning to the dayside after reconnection in the tail. Furthermore, we find that the high‐latitude magnetosphere is predominantly in a state of constant plasma depletion and located on open field lines. We map the region of high‐latitude magnetosphere that is depleted of electrons to the polar cap to estimate the size and open flux content within the polar caps. The mean open flux content for the northern and southern polar caps are found to be 25 ± 5 and 32 ± 5 GWb, respectively. The average location of the open‐closed field boundary is found at invariant colatitudes of 12.7 ± 0.6° and 14.5 ± 0.6°. The northern boundary is modulated by planetary period oscillations more than the southern boundary. Key Points: The high‐latitude magnetosphere is predominantly in a state of constant plasma depletion and located on open field linesThe reconnection x‐line is located at 20–25 RS downtail from the planet on the midnight to dawn side of the equatorial magnetosphereThe open‐closed field boundary is located at colatitudes of 12.7 ± 0.6° and 14.5 ± 0.6° (north and south) with weak planetary period oscillation modulation in the north [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we present observations made by the Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) mission of a small‐scale magnetic structure adjacent to a reconnecting current sheet at the dayside magnetopause. While MMS crosses the current sheet, it observes signatures of an electron diffusion region (EDR), including crescent shaped electron velocity distribution functions. Right after the EDR crossing, all spacecraft encounter an electron‐scale magnetic structure that can roughly be divided into two parts: a force‐free flux rope‐like part and a nonforce‐free magnetic enhancement. Within the leading force‐free part of the structure, the magnetic field component normal to the current sheet exhibits a bipolar signature, suggesting that the structure is flux rope‐like. In the trailing edge of the bipolar signature, three spacecraft observe a magnetic enhancement that has an amplitude almost twice the ambient magnetic field. The magnetic peak adjacent to an EDR can be associated with an electron vortex, where the perpendicular current is carried by E×B drifting electrons. The structure is advected tailward along the magnetopause while in the plasma frame, it propagates upstream suggesting that this reconnection event is highly three‐dimensional. Fluctuations in the plasma density and magnetic field and large peaks in the parallel electric field observed on the magnetospheric side of the EDR suggest that the current sheet is corrugated due to an electromagnetic drift instability. This or another instability of a thin reconnecting current sheet (e.g., tearing) is a likely cause of the formation of the observed magnetic structure. Key Points: MMS observed a complex electron‐scale magnetic structure adjacent to dayside electron diffusion regionMagnetic structure consists of a force‐free flux rope‐like part and a non‐force‐free magnetic enhancement supported by an electron vortexStructure propagates upstream in the plasma frame suggesting that it is formed due to an instability of a thin current sheet [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The author's early research career and scientific output is outlined, spanning the interval from the late 1960s to the late 1980s when he transitioned from Jim Dungey's PhD student at Imperial College, London, to full professor. The work, principally concerned with elucidating theoretical aspects of Dungey's "open" model magnetosphere, is set within the context of burgeoning observations from both ground and space, resulting in greatly improved knowledge and growing international acceptance. Scientific encounters with some of the major players in the field during that time are recounted, now recollected in tranquility. Key Points: The author's early career is outlined from the 1960s to the 1980s, researching mainly on topics connected with Dungey's open magnetosphere modelTheoretical work is set within the context of burgeoning observations, resulting in growing evidence and international acceptanceScientific encounters with some of the major players in the field at the time are recollected, many no longer with us [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interactions between magnetic reconnection inflows and outflows can result in a violent mixing process. In Magnetospheric MultiScale observations of asymmetric, low guide‐field reconnection, highly sheared electron flow paired with sharp density and temperature gradients have been found in association with bursts of strong (≥100 mV/m) electric fields parallel to the ambient magnetic field. It is likely that large spikes in E‖ are part of a dynamic, small‐scale structure which results from mixing between plasmas. In this study, a 1‐D Vlasov simulation with parameters directly comparable to the observed plasma environment and interaction timescale is used to demonstrate that mixing at a sharp boundary between magnetospheric and magnetosheath electrons is qualitatively consistent with measured particle distributions and signatures in E‖. Properties of mixing structures such as net electric potential are estimated and found capable of accelerating electron beams toward the electron diffusion region but are not necessarily sufficient to generate the strongest observed jets. Obliquely propagating lower hybrid drift waves are also present and likely provide most of the energy for acceleration. Drift waves may be responsible for cross‐field transport required to begin the mixing process. We conclude that parallel mixing primarily acts to mediate plasma boundaries, thermalizing electron beams contributing to the high anisotropy (Te‖>Te⊥) electron distributions found in the dayside reconnection magnetospheric inflow region. Key Points: Violent mixing between plasmas is observed within an electron‐scale boundary along the dayside magnetosphere reconnection separatrixConsecutive negative spikes in parallel electric field can be explained by a single oscillating double‐layer‐like structureElectrostatic mixing signatures likely contribute primarily to thermalization and heating rather than linear acceleration toward the X line [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At Saturn, solar wind driving of the magnetosphere is predicted to be reduced due to the extreme rotationally driven interior. As a result, the rotationally driven plasma corotates with the planet, possibly out to the magnetopause. Modeling suggests that this corotation should set up conditions that are unfavorable for the onset of magnetic reconnection on the dawnside magnetopause due to the generation of a significant flow shear. The flow shear model being tested makes use of idealized steady state models and a dominant east‐west interplanetary magnetic field orientation with a slight northward component. When the flow shear is larger than the Alfvèn speed, the model indicates that reconnection is suppressed. In this study, we employ observations from Cassini, when the interplanetary magnetic field has a northward component, to test this flow shear suppression model and whether reconnection is suppressed by diamagnetic drifts. Observations from the electron spectrometer on the Cassini Plasma Spectrometer suite of instruments show that reconnection does occur at the dayside magnetopause of Saturn, even in locations where modeling suggests that conditions are unfavorable for its onset. The inconsistency between modeling and observations may be caused by the conditions and assumptions within the model itself. Furthermore, the occurrence of reconnection on the dawnside magnetopause in general may hint at additional complexities in the global structure of Saturn's magnetosphere. Key Points: Electron observations test whether magnetic reconnection suppression models accurately reflect the dynamics at the magnetopauseReconnection suppression by a flow shear and diamagnetic drift effects is tested hereReconnection is found to occur in previously predicted suppression regions [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) mission has given us unprecedented access to high cadence particle and field data of magnetic reconnection at Earth's magnetopause. MMS first passed very near an X‐line on 16 October 2015, the Burch event, and has since observed multiple X‐line crossings. Subsequent 3‐D particle‐in‐cell (PIC) modeling efforts of and comparison with the Burch event have revealed a host of novel physical insights concerning magnetic reconnection, turbulence‐induced particle mixing, and secondary instabilities. In this study, we employ the Gkeyll simulation framework to study the Burch event with different classes of extended, multifluid magnetohydrodynamics (MHD), including models that incorporate important kinetic effects, such as the electron pressure tensor, with physics‐based closure relations designed to capture linear Landau damping. Such fluid modeling approaches are able to capture different levels of kinetic physics in global simulations and are generally less costly than fully kinetic PIC. We focus on the additional physics one can capture with increasing levels of fluid closure refinement via comparison with MMS data and existing PIC simulations. In particular, we find that the ten‐moment model well captures the agyrotropic structure of the pressure tensor in the vicinity of the X‐line and the magnitude of anisotropic electron heating observed in MMS and PIC simulations. However, the ten‐moment model is found to have difficulty resolving the lower hybrid drift instability, which plays a fundamental role in heating and mixing electrons in the current layer. Key Points: An extended MHD model evolving the full electron pressure tensor and capturing aspects of linear Landau damping is applied to the MMS Burch eventMany aspects of the fluid model agree well with in situ observations, including strong parallel electron heating near the current layerThe event study demonstrates the efficacy of the ten‐moment model for global magnetosphere modeling efforts [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the major unresolved questions regarding the magnetic reconnection phenomenon is how plasma waves impact the process. In 2015, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration launched the four‐satellite Magnetospheric Multiscale Mission to study magnetic reconnection, especially on the electron scale. Since launch, it has identified several wave modes below the electron plasma frequency that occur near the dayside reconnection X‐line. These include large‐amplitude parallel electrostatic waves, whistler mode waves, lower hybrid waves, and turbulence associated with a corrugated current structure. We survey 23 electron diffusion region events observed by Magnetospheric Multiscale Mission at the dayside magnetopause to help understand how these wave modes impact the reconnection process. Common wave modes are identified, as well as their typical location within the reconnection layer (e.g., electron diffusion region, ion diffusion region, separatrix, and inflow and outflow jets). We find that, with a few exceptions, electromagnetic whistlers are most commonly confined to the separatrices of the exhaust boundary. Lower hybrid waves are found on the magnetosphere side of the current layer and do not make it to the X‐line. The wave modes that typically occur closest to the dissipation region are the corrugated current structures and large‐amplitude parallel electrostatic waves. Key Points: We survey waves below the electron plasma frequency near 23 dayside magnetopause electron diffusion region eventsThe main waves investigated are whistlers, parallel electrostatic waves, current corrugation, and the lower hybrid drift instabilityWe find waves most typically occur on the magnetospheric side, with current corrugation most likely to reach the diffusion region [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Being one of the first generation of space scientists who entered this field right after the space became accessible to in situ observations, I had good luck of addressing some of the basic questions in this field from the early years of my carrier. These are development of global convection in the magnetosphere when the interplanetary magnetic field has the southward polarity, changes in the structure of the magnetotail leading to the onset of substorm expansion phase, and physics of the plasmapause formation. My career culminated with promotion and implementation of the Geotail spacecraft mission. In this article I shall present my personal recollections on these efforts including interactions with colleagues worldwide who shared the common interest. Plain Language Summary: This article is a recollection of my contributions to space physics in early years of the space age. I chose this discipline for my career because I expected that exciting new problems will emerge out of observations made by Sputnik and numerous scientific satellite missions that should follow. The problems I addressed before 1980 included origin of the plasmapause, mechanism of substorms, and acceleration of trapped particles. (1) Plasmapause is a sharp drop in the plasma density that is always seen in the central region of the magnetosphere. I explained this feature by the combined action of the corotation of plasma with the Earth and the convection of plasma that is generated by the solar wind. I found in the process that this convection is generated when IMF (i.e., magnetic field in the solar wind) is directed southward, suggesting that reconnection of field lines (i.e., connection of field lines having different polarities) occurs at the boundary of the magnetosphere. (2) When this reconnection lasts and field lines are piled up in the magnetotail, another reconnection takes place among the piled‐up field lines, and expansion phase of substorm begins. (3) Plasmas in the magnetosphere can move not only by convection but also by field‐aligned motion and by diffusion. They can be energized from keV to higher energies by taking these trajectories in a gaining order. Since the 1980s, I organized the Geotail satellite mission as a joint program of ISAS of Japan with NASA of USA. This satellite, launched in 1992, covered the key regions of the magnetotail with advanced instruments and credited for deepening the space plasma physics from fluid dynamics to kinetics. Key Points: When IMF is southward, reconnection between IMF and geomagnetic field produces global convection in the magnetosphere named DP2Plasmapause is produced by combined action of DP2 convection and the flow accompanying the Earth's rotationWhen IMF turns southward and field lines are transported to the magnetotail, the plasma sheet becomes thinner and ensuing reconnection in the magnetotail drives the substorm expansion phase (DP1) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the planetary magnetospheres there are specific places connected with velocity breakdown, reconnection, and dynamo processes. Here we pay attention to sliding layers. Sliding layers are formed in the ionosphere, on separatrix surfaces, at the magnetopauses and boundaries of stellar astrospheres, and at the Alfvén radius in the equatorial magnetosphere of rapidly rotating strongly magnetized giant planets. Although sliding contacts usually occur in thin local layers, their influence on the global structure of the surrounding space is very great. Therefore, they are associated with non-local processes that play a key role on a large scale. There can be an exchange between different forms of energy, a generation of strong field-aligned currents and emissions, and an amplification of magnetic fields. Depending on the conditions in the magnetosphere of the planet/exoplanet and in the flow of magnetized plasma passing it, different numbers of sliding layers with different configurations appear. Some are associated with regions of auroras and possible radio emissions. The search for planetary radio emissions is a current task in the detection of exoplanets.

MErcury Surface, Space ENvironment, GEochemistry, and Ranging (MESSENGER) measurements taken during passes over Mercury's dayside hemisphere indicate that on four occasions the spacecraft remained in the magnetosheath even though it reached altitudes below 300 km. During these disappearing dayside magnetosphere (DDM) events, the spacecraft did not encounter the magnetopause until it was at very high magnetic latitudes, ~66 to 80°. These DDM events stand out with respect to their extremely high solar wind dynamic pressures, Psw ~140 to 290 nPa, and intense southward magnetic fields, Bz ~ −100 to −400 nT, measured in the magnetosheath. In addition, the bow shock was observed very close to the surface during these events with a subsolar altitude of ~1,200 km. It is suggested that DDM events, which are closely associated with coronal mass ejections, are due to solar wind compression and/or reconnection‐driven erosion of the dayside magnetosphere. The very low altitude of the bow shock during these events strongly suggests that the solar wind impacts much of Mercury's sunlit hemisphere during these events. More study of these disappearing dayside events is required, but it is likely that solar wind sputtering of neutrals from the surface into the exosphere maximizes during these intervals. Key Points: The dayside magnetosphere of Mercury is observed to disappear at MESSENGER's orbit during some coronal mass ejection impactsThe cause appears to be extreme solar wind compression and/or reconnection‐driven erosion of Mercury's dayside magnetic fieldThe low altitude of the bow shock during these events strongly suggests that Mercury's dayside surface experiences direct solar wind impact [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The largest moon in the solar system, Ganymede, is also the only moon known to possess a strong intrinsic magnetic field and a corresponding magnetosphere. Using the new version of Hall magnetohydrodynamic with embedded particle‐in‐cell model with a self‐consistently coupled resistive body representing the electrical properties of the moon's interior, improved inner boundary conditions, and the flexibility of coupling different grid geometries, we achieve better match of magnetic field with measurements for all six Galileo flybys. The G2 flyby comparisons of plasma bulk flow velocities with the Galileo Plasma Subsystem data support the oxygen ion assumption inside Ganymede's magnetosphere. Crescent shape, nongyrotropic, and nonisotropic ion distributions are identified from the coupled model. Furthermore, we have derived the energy fluxes associated with the upstream magnetopause reconnection of ∼10−7W/cm2 based on our model results and found a maximum of 40% contribution to the total peak auroral emissions. Key Points: Hall MHD‐EPIC model of Ganymede's magnetosphere uses realistic inner boundary conditions and energy‐conserving PIC schemeIon‐scale kinetics at upstream magnetopause are fully resolved, shown by the nongyrotropic/anisotropic distributionsElectron precipitation of ∼10−7 W/cm2 shows up to half of the peak emission brightness contributed by upstream reconnection [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While vorticity defined as the curl of the velocity has been broadly used in fluid and plasma physics, this quantity has been underutilized in space physics due to low time resolution observations. We report Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) observations of enhanced electron vorticity in the vicinity of the electron diffusion region of magnetic reconnection. On 11 July 2017 MMS traversed the magnetotail current sheet, observing tailward‐to‐earthward outflow reversal, current‐carrying electron jets in the direction along the electron meandering motion or out‐of‐plane direction, agyrotropic electron distribution functions, and dissipative signatures. At the edge of the electron jets, the electron vorticity increased with magnitudes greater than the electron gyrofrequency. The out‐of‐plane velocity shear along distance from the current sheet leads to the enhanced vorticity. This, in turn, contributes to the magnetic field perturbations observed by MMS. These observations indicate that electron vorticity can act as a proxy for delineating the electron diffusion region of magnetic reconnection. Plain Language Summary: Magnetic reconnection, causing explosive magnetic energy conversion into particle energy, is one of the most fundamental physical processes occurring both within the heliosphere and throughout the universe. The multiscale kinetic structures associated with reconnection have long been a focus in space plasma physics. We investigated how electron vorticity, a physical quantity widely used in fluid physics, but underutilized in the plasma, in particular, reconnection physics, enables us to delineate multiscale kinetic boundaries of reconnection sites using the unprecedented time resolution data from National Aeronautics and Space Administration's Magnetospheric Multiscale spacecraft. The magnitude of electron vorticity to be compared with the electron gyrofrequency provides a frame‐independent indicator of the electron diffusion region, therefore, greatly advancing our ability to delineate the multiscale reconnection boundaries. This study, directly relevant to plasma/reconnection physics, will improve our understanding of fundamental physics with far‐reaching implications in astrophysics. Key Points: We report MMS observation of enhanced electron vorticity in the reconnection siteThe magnitude of electron vorticity greater than the electron gyrofrequency indicates the electron diffusion region of magnetic reconnectionThe enhanced electron vorticity contributes to magnetic field perturbations observed by MMS [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We identify and examine all MErcury Surface Space ENvironment, GEochemistry, and Ranging (MESSENGER) crossings of Mercury's dayside magnetopause with magnetospheric field intensities ≥300 nT. The eight such events, which occurred under highly compressed magnetosphere conditions, are analyzed in the identical manner utilized by Slavin et al. (2014, https://doi.org/10.1002/2014JA020319). The results suggest that the eight highly compressed magnetosphere events represent the highest solar wind dynamic pressures for which the MESSENGER's orbit still passed below the magnetopause and provided measurements of the dayside magnetosphere. Using the magnetohydrodynamic model by Jia et al. (2015, https://doi.org/10.1002/2015JA021143) that electromagnetically couples Mercury's interior with its magnetosphere, a series of global simulations are conducted to quantitatively characterize the response of Mercury's magnetosphere to solar wind forcing. Combining the MESSENGER observations with the simulations, we have obtained a consistent picture of how Mercury's dayside magnetospheric configuration is controlled, separately and in combination, by induction‐driven shielding and reconnection‐driven erosion. For solar wind pressures of ∼40–90 nPa, compared with the average ∼10–15 nPa at Mercury's orbit, the shielding effects of induction in Mercury's core in standing‐off the solar wind typically exceed the erosion of the dayside magnetosphere due to reconnection for these events, most of which occurred under low magnetic shear conditions. For high magnetic shear across the magnetopause our simulation predicts that reconnection would dominate. Mercury's effective magnetic moment as inferred from magnetopause standoff distance ranges from 170 to 250  nT−RM3 for these events. These findings are of crucial importance for understanding the space weathering at Mercury and its contribution to the generation of Mercury's exosphere. Key Points: Eight highly compressed dayside magnetosphere events are identified from MESSENGER data and analyzedThe 3‐D global magnetosphere model with self‐consistently coupled electrically conductive interior is used to simulate the HCM eventsBoth induction‐driven shielding and reconnection‐driven erosion are important for the HCM events [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new quality index is proposed for quantitatively assessing the level of Alfvénicity of the flow in the magnetopause and other quasi one‐dimensional plasma/field structures. Perfect Alfvénicity is expressed by the so‐called Walén relation, which describes the agreement of the observed jump in velocity across a suitable portion of the magnetopause and the corresponding jump in Alfvén velocity. In the past, approximate agreement with this relation has been used as an important indicator of ongoing magnetic reconnection. The new index incorporates the effects of deviations in direction as well as in magnitude of the two vectors. Its properties and utility are illustrated by application to a large set of dayside magnetopause crossings by the Magnetospheric Multiscale spacecraft MMS 1. Time series for two of these events are also presented and discussed. Key Points: Single quality index is proposed to quantify the level of agreement of measured magnetic field and plasma data with the Walén relationIndex is applied to data from 731 dayside magnetopause crossings by MMS1MMS statistics for the index are presented and discussed [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report MMS observations of the ion‐scale flux transfer events (FTEs) that may involve two main X lines and tearing instability between the two X lines. The four spacecraft detected multiple isolated regions with enhanced magnetic field strength and bipolar Bn signatures normal to the nominal magnetopause, indicating FTEs. The currents within the FTEs flow mostly parallel to B, and the magnetic tension force is balanced by the total pressure gradient force. During these events, the plasma bulk flow velocity was directed southward. Detailed analysis of the magnetic and electric field and plasma moments variations suggests that the FTEs were initially embedded within the exhaust region north of an X line but were later located southward/downstream of a subsequent X line. The cross sections of the individual FTEs are in the range of ~2.5–6.8 ion inertial lengths. The observations suggest the formation of multiple secondary FTEs. The presence of an X line in the exhaust region southward of a second X line results from the southward drift of an old X line and the reformation of a new X line. The current layer between the two X lines is unstable to the tearing instability, generating multiple ion‐scale flux‐rope‐type secondary islands. Key Points: MMS observation of ion‐scale flux ropes in the reconnection outflow regionThe initial X line is embedded in the exhaust region downstream of a second X lineFlux transfer events (FTE) are formed between the two X lines due to tearing instability [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The early phase of the extraordinary solar energetic particle 20 January, 2005 event having the highest peak flux of any SEP in the past 50 years of protons with energies > 100 MeV is studied. Solar energetic particles (>16 MeV) entry to the Earth’s magnetosphere on January 20, 2005 under northward interplanetary magnetic field conditions is considered based on multi-satellite data analysis and magnetic field simulation. Solar wind parameters and interplanetary magnetic field data, as well as calculations in terms of the A2000 magnetospheric magnetic field model were used to specify conditions in the Earth’s environment corresponding to solar proton event. It was shown that during the early phase of the event energetic particle penetration into the magnetosphere took place in the regions on the magnetopause where the magnetospheric and interplanetary magnetic field vectors are parallel. Complex analysis of the experimental data on particle fluxes in the interplanetary medium (data from ACE spacecraft) and on low-altitude (POES) and geosynchronous (GOES) orbits inside the Earth’s magnetosphere show two regions on the magnetopause responsible for particle access to the magnetosphere: the near equatorial day-side region and open field lines window at the high-latitude magnetospheric boundary. Calculations in terms of A2000 magnetospheric magnetic field model and comparison with SuperDARN images support the link between high-latitude solar energetic particle precipitations and the region at the magnetopause where the magnetospheric field is coupled with northward IMF, allowing solar particles entrance into the magnetosphere and access to the northern polar cap.