New features of electron phase space holes observed by the THEMIS mission.
Observations of electron phase-space holes (EHs) in Earth's plasma sheet by the THEMIS satellites include the first detection of a magnetic perturbation (deltaB_{ parallel}) parallel to the ambient magnetic field (B0). EHs with a detectable deltaB_{ parallel} have several distinguishing features including large electric field amplitudes, a magnetic perturbation perpendicular to B0, high speeds ( approximately 0.3c) along B0, and sizes along B0 of tens of Debye lengths. These EHs have a significant center potential (Phi approximately k_{B}T_{e}/e), suggesting strongly nonlinear behavior nearby such as double layers or magnetic reconnection.
Andersson
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Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado 80309, USA.
Ergun
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Tao
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Roux
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Lecontel
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Angelopoulos
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Bonnell
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McFadden
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Larson
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Eriksson
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Johansson
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Cully
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Newman
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Newman
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Goldman
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Glassmeier
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Baumjohann
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