Two Classes of Equatorial Magnetotail Dipolarization Fronts Observed by Magnetospheric Multiscale Mission: A Statistical Overview

We carried out a statistical study of equatorial dipolarization fronts (DFs) detected by the Magnetospheric Multiscale mission during the full 2017 Earth's magnetotail season. We found that two DF classes are distinguished: class I (74.4%) corresponds to the standard DF properties and energy dissipation and a new class II (25.6%). This new class includes the six DF discussed in Alqeeq et al. (2022, ) and corresponds to a bump of the magnetic field associated with a minimum in the ion and electron pressures and a reversal of the energy conversion process. The possible origin of this second class is discussed. Both DF classes show that the energy conversion process in the spacecraft frame is driven by the diamagnetic current dominated by the ion pressure gradient. In the fluid frame, it is driven by the electron pressure gradient. In addition, we have shown that the energy conversion processes are not homogeneous at the electron scale mostly due to the variations of the electric fields for both DF classes.

Automated summary

In this study, a statistical analysis of equatorial dipolarization fronts (DFs) detected by the Magnetospheric Multiscale mission during the 2017 magnetotail season was conducted. Two distinct classes of DFs were identified: class I, which corresponds to the standard DF properties and energy dissipation, and class II, a new class that features a bump in the magnetic field, a minimum in ion and electron pressures, and a reversal of the energy conversion process. The study also reveals that the energy conversion processes of these two classes of DFs differ in the spacecraft frame and fluid frame, mainly due to variations in the electric fields.