MMS Observations of Electron-Scale Plasma Processes

Earth magnetosphere is a unique natural laboratory where plasma processes can be studied in great detail down to the smallest spatial scales. We present selected results from the recently launched Magnetospheric MultiScale (MMS) NASA mission designed to study microphysics of magnetic reconnection, which is a fundamental process in solar, astrophysical, and laboratory plasmas. Magnetic reconnection transforms magnetic field energy into particle kinetic energy, resulting in explosive particle heating and acceleration, such as in solar flares and coronal mass ejections. MMS provides unprecedented temporal cadence of the particle distribution measurements, as well as multi-point measurements at scales comparable to electron gyroradius, which allows to study processes operating with the electron diffusion region -- the “heart” of the reconnection region where the magnetic field lines break and reconnect.

Coffee and cake will be available for the first 30 attendees at 15:00, warmly welcome!