Jet front-driven mirror modes and shocklets in the near-Earth flow-braking region

Abstract

We investigate the small-scale structure of jet fronts through a case study of multi-spacecraft Cluster observations in the near-Earth flow-braking region at ∼-10 R E. We find that the interaction between the earthward moving fast plasma jet and the high-β ambient plasma in the plasma sheet results in magnetic pileup and compression ahead of the jet and rarefaction trailing the jet. It is shown that mirror-mode structures of ion gyroradius scale develop within the pileup region due to the observed ion temperature anisotropy (T i⊥ T). We suggest that the growth of these mirror modes is driven by the perpendicular total pressure perturbation (Δp ⊥) generated by the braking jet. When Δp ⊥ becomes too large, the mirror-mode structure cannot maintain pressure balance any longer, and consequently a shocklet is formed in the pileup region ahead of the jet front. We present the first evidence for such a kinetic shocklet in the flow-braking region. Copyright 2011 by the American Geophysical Union.