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Brandon Burkholder

Publications and source records attributed to Brandon Burkholder.

4 recordsLinked to original sources

The evolution of CME sheath turbulence from L1 to Earth: Wind and MMS observations of the 2023-04-23 CME

An interplanetary shock driven by a coronal mass ejection (CME) containing an interval of sub-Alfv\'enic flow impacted Earth on April 23, 2024. In this article, we analyze the turbulence in the sheath region between the shock and CME to determine how it evolves from L1 (as observed by Wind) to Earth (as observed by MMS, upstream of the bow shock). Wind and MMS were separated by $55\,\mathrm{R_{E}}$ in the dawn-dusk direction, but the shock normals differ by only $2.8^{\circ}$ and the Pearson correlation coefficient between time-shifted magnetic field components is $\rho=0.93$. We observe a shift in the break point of the magnetic power spectral density between inertial and ion kinetic scales toward the ion inertial length and a steepening of the spectral slope, indicating more active energy cascade closer to Earth. The distribution of increments becomes more non-Gaussian near Earth, particularly at ion kinetic scales, indicating the turbulence becomes more intermittent. Finally, the correlation length at Earth is 25\% longer than at L1, indicating that the turbulence is smoothing out the magnetic field. The results present an example of substantial evolution of CME sheath turbulence from L1 to Earth.

physics.space-ph

Field Aligned Currents and Auroral Precipitation During the Terrestrial Alfven Wing State

When sub-Alfv\'enic (Alfv\'en Mach number MA < 1) plasmas impact Earth, Alfv\'en wings (AWs) develop. A Multiscale Atmosphere Geospace Environment (MAGE) simulation of the April 2023 storm, validated by Active Magnetosphere and Planetary Electrodynamics Response Experiment (AMPERE) data, reveals the field-aligned-current (FAC) generation mechanism and predicts auroral precipitation for Earth's AWs. Simulation and observations show northern hemisphere planetward flowing electrons are predominantly at magnetic local times (MLTs) 8-13. Before the AWs formed, solar wind conditions were similar and MA ~ 1.4, yet the same FAC system extended from 9-18 MLT. Flow vorticity drives FACs at the boundary of the AWs and unshocked solar wind. The AW shape presents a different obstacle to the solar wind compared to typical lobe fluxes, producing the unique FAC distribution. New insights about AW FACs and precipitating electron energy flux will help understand auroral features for exoplanets inside their host star's Alfv\'en zone.

physics.space-ph

Observation of O+ Characteristics During the Terrestrial Alfv\'en Wing State Induced by the April 2023 Coronal Mass Ejection

We report Magnetospheric Multiscale observations of oxygen ions (O+) during a coronal mass ejection in April 2023 when the solar wind was sub-Alfv\'enic and Alfv\'en wings formed. For the first time, O+ characteristics are studied at the contact region between the unshocked solar wind and the magnetosphere. The O+ ions show energies between 100s eV and ~30 keV. The possible sources are the ring current, the warm plasma cloak, and the ionosphere. The O+ ions exhibit bi-directional streaming along newly-formed closed field lines (CFLs), and dominantly anti-parallel on earlier-formed CFLs. Escaping O+ ions in the unshocked solar wind are observed. During the recovery phase, the O+ pitch-angle distribution associated with flux tubes shows dispersion, indicating potential loss to the solar wind. Our results show escaping as well as trapped O+ ions in the region where a magnetic cloud, an Alfv\'en wing, and magnetospheric field lines are mixed.

physics.space-ph

Earth's Alfv\'en wings driven by the April 2023 Coronal Mass Ejection

We report a rare regime of Earth's magnetosphere interaction with sub-Alfv\'enic solar wind in which the windsock-like magnetosphere transforms into one with Alfv\'en wings. In the magnetic cloud of a Coronal Mass Ejection (CME) on April 24, 2023, NASA's Magnetospheric Multiscale mission distinguishes the following features: (1) unshocked and accelerated cold CME plasma coming directly against Earth's dayside magnetosphere; (2) dynamical wing filaments representing new channels of magnetic connection between the magnetosphere and foot points of the Sun's erupted flux rope; (3) cold CME ions observed with energized counter-streaming electrons, evidence of CME plasma captured due to reconnection between magnetic-cloud and Alfv\'en-wing field lines. The reported measurements advance our knowledge of CME interaction with planetary magnetospheres, and open new opportunities to understand how sub-Alfv\'enic plasma flows impact astrophysical bodies such as Mercury, moons of Jupiter, and exoplanets close to their host stars.

physics.space-ph