Reconstruction of time-varying reconnection rate and X-line location

Abstract

Remote-sensing method developed on the basis of time-dependent Petschek-type reconnection model is applied to Cluster magnetotail measurements from 8 September 2002, where a series of earthward propagating NFTEs (nightside flux transfer events) was observed. The method utilizes single-spacecraft magnetic data as an input and provides the reconnection rate and the location of X-line as an output. For the first time the method is applied to a composite reconnection event consisting of three successive NFTEs following each other without any time delay. The reconnection distance is found to be between 27 and 30 RE in the tail. The reconstructed electric field involves three 1-min scale pulses with total duration of ~4 min. The peak rates for individual pulses vary from 0.6 to 1.1 mV/m.