title: A comparative study of dipolarization fronts at MMS and Cluster.
abstract: We present a statistical study of dipolarization fronts (DFs), using magnetic field data from MMS and Cluster, at radial distances below 12REand 20RE, respectively. Assuming that the DFs have a semicircular cross section and are propelled by the magnetic tension force, we used multispacecraft observations to determine the DF velocities. About three quarters of the DFs propagate earthward and about one quarter tailward. Generally, MMS is in a more dipolar magnetic field region and observes larger-amplitude DFs than Cluster. The major findings obtained in this study are as follows: (1) At MMS ∼57 % of the DFs move faster than 150 km/s, while at Cluster only ∼35 %, indicating a variable flux transport rate inside the flow-braking region. (2) Larger DF velocities correspond to higherBzvalues directly ahead of the DFs. We interpret this as a snow plow-like phenomenon, resulting from a higher magnetic flux pileup ahead of DFs with higher velocities.
authors.affiliation: Space Research Institute Austrian Academy of Sciences Graz Austria; NAWI Graz University of Graz Graz Austria.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Schmid
authors.affiliation: Space Research Institute Austrian Academy of Sciences Graz Austria.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Nakamura
authors.affiliation: Space Research Institute Austrian Academy of Sciences Graz Austria.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Volwerk
authors.affiliation: Space Research Institute Austrian Academy of Sciences Graz Austria.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Plaschke
authors.affiliation: Space Research Institute Austrian Academy of Sciences Graz Austria.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Narita
authors.affiliation: Space Research Institute Austrian Academy of Sciences Graz Austria.
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Baumjohann
authors.affiliation: Space Research Institute Austrian Academy of Sciences Graz Austria.
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Magnes
authors.affiliation: Space Research Institute Austrian Academy of Sciences Graz Austria.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Fischer
authors.affiliation: Space Research Institute Austrian Academy of Sciences Graz Austria.
authors.forename: H U
authors.initials: HU
authors.lastname: Eichelberger
authors.affiliation: Institute for the Study of Earth, Oceans, and Space University of New Hampshire Durham New Hampshire USA; Southwest Research Institute San Antonio Texas USA.
authors.forename: R B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Torbert
authors.affiliation: Institute of Geophysics and Planetary Physics University of California Los Angeles California USA.
authors.forename: C T
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Russell
authors.affiliation: Institute of Geophysics and Planetary Physics University of California Los Angeles California USA.
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Strangeway
authors.affiliation: Institute of Geophysics and Planetary Physics University of California Los Angeles California USA.
authors.forename: H K
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Leinweber
authors.affiliation: NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt Maryland USA.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Le
authors.affiliation: NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt Maryland USA.
authors.forename: K R
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Bromund
authors.affiliation: The Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory Laurel Maryland USA.
authors.forename: B J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.affiliation: Department of Climate and Space Sciences and Engineering University of Michigan Ann Arbor Michigan USA.
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Slavin
authors.affiliation: NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt Maryland USA.
authors.forename: E L
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Kepko
keywords: Cluster; MMS; dipolarization front; magnetotail