Hybrid Kinetic Modeling of the Magnetosheath Impulsive Plasma Cloud Penetration Through the Magnetopause and Comparison With MMS and Other Spacecraft Observations.

This research examines the plasma processes under penetration of the plasma clouds (plasmoids) across the magnetopause which is modeled as a tangential discontinuity (TD). Cases with the parallel magnetic field in both sides out of the TD are under investigation. Plasma parameters and magnetic field were chosen from the MMS mission and other spacecraft observations. The results are important for understanding the following basic space plasma physics problems: (a) plasma cloud deformation and strong phase mixing with magnetospheric plasma; (b) the transfer of mass, momentum and energy of magnetosheath and magnetic cloud plasma into magnetospheric plasmas; (c) necessary conditions for plasma cloud penetration via the magnetopause; (d) wave generation by plasma clouds inside the magnetopause. Key Points: Plasma clouds (fragments) experience a significant slowdown when moving through magnetosheath plasmasWave‐particle interactions provide a strong phase mixing between plasma cloudsand magnetosheath, and magnetospheric plasmas3‐D hybrid modeling and spacecraft observations provethe mass, momentum and energy transport from the magnetosheath tomagnetosphere [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]