Tracking Plasma Vorticity in the Low-Latitude Boundary Layer with the Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) Hot Plasma Composition Analyzer (HPCA) Instrument

Abstract:

Analyzing vorticity in the low-latitude boundary layer’s plasma dynamics has the potential to reveal structures that constrain possible mechanisms of populating Earth's magnetosphere with solar wind ion species during periods of relatively calm geomagnetic conditions. Using HPCA measurements taken in the boundary layer on the duskside magnetopause, we search for signatures of vorticity in each ion species. The HPCA Radio Frequency (RF) filtering provides a unique method to suppress the overwhelming H⁺ signal and enables measurement of heavier ion species. By cross-correlating HPCA observations with other instruments of the MMS suite and with solar wind conditions from other heliospheric fleet spacecraft, we build on previous in-situ vorticity studies of the low-latitude boundary layer.