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Magnetospheric Multiscale

Mission

Austin Atkins

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Magnetic Reconnection

Magnetic topology isrearranged and magneticfeld energy is convertedinto particle kinetic (largescale ows) and thermal

energy.Seems to violate the!ro"en in u# condition o!highly conducting plasmas.

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$%servations & $ccurrences

'okomaks (!usion reactors)

Solar ares

Magnetosphere

Magnetic ynamo

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Solar lare *vidence

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+mportant ,uestions

-hat e#actly is happening in the diusion region/

0ow do feld lines reconnect in collisionless plasmas/

ro"en in u# 1 -hat2s changing/

'ime and length scales/

ensities and temperatures/ +s tur%ulence involved/

+s there a secondary mechanism %esides reconnection/

0ow to advance computer models/

Are there multiple reconnections/

0ow hard can it %e/

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Motivation

Much easier to e#plain to the scientifc community. 'hepu%lic3 not so much.

Magnetic reconnection and general M0 phenomena aresignifcant in solar activity and general space weather. Solar

ares and 4M*2s can have signifcant impacts on satellites3power grids etc.

5etter physics e6uals %etter technology.

7ltimately3 can we predict these solar events/

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MMS Mission 1 :lo%al?erspective

Send = satellites into or%it around theearth to make in Situ measurements atreconnection sites (diusion region).

'ravel as a care!ully oriented pack toprovide the frst < dimensional recording(mapping) o! the reconnectionenvironment.

4hange or%its (phases) using on%oardthrusters to increase apogee.

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MMS Mission@More details

aunch (*#pected March ;B9C 1 Atlas

D) = identical satellites each carrying;C identical instrument sensors.

'he = satellites will y in atetrahedral pattern to properlymeasure the environment in