Turbulent Plasma Jet Fronts and Related Ion Acceleration
Résumé
<p>We investigate an earthward bursty bulk flow (BBF) observed by the Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) spacecraft in the Earth’s magnetotail (X<sub>GSM</sub> ~ -23.88 R<sub>E</sub>, Y<sub>GSM</sub> ~ 6.72 R<sub>E</sub>, Z<sub>GSM </sub>~ 4.06 R<sub>E)</sub>. At  the leading edge of the BBF we observe a complex magnetic field structure. In particular, within this region we identify multiple dipolarization fronts (DFs) and large amplitude oscillations of the magnetic field <em>B<sub>X</sub></em>, which correspond to a long wavelength current sheet flapping motion. Within the DFs, we observe increased fluxes of energetic ions and electrons. We investigate the trapping of the ions between two consecutive DFs. We discuss the ion acceleration mechanism and the adiabaticity of the ion energisation process.</p>