@Article{WangCSLRLGG:2024:DiDeOn,
               author = "Wang, Rongsheng and Cheng, Zihang and Slavin, James A. and Lu, 
                         Quanming and Raines, Jim and Lu, San and Guo, Jin and Gonzalez 
                         Alarcon, Walter Demetrio",
          affiliation = "{Deep Space Exploration Laboratory} and {University of Science and 
                         Technology of China} and {University of Michigan} and {Deep Space 
                         Exploration Laboratory} and {University of Michigan} and {Deep 
                         Space Exploration Laboratory} and {University of Science and 
                         Technology of China} and {Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas 
                         Espaciais (INPE)}",
                title = "Direct Detection of Ongoing Magnetic Reconnection at Mercury's 
                         High-Latitude Magnetopause",
              journal = "Geophysical Research Letters",
                 year = "2024",
               volume = "51",
               number = "5",
                pages = "e2023GL106282",
                month = "Mar.",
             keywords = "Mercury's magnetosphere, magnetic reconnection, magnetic flux 
                         ropes.",
             abstract = "An ongoing magnetic reconnection event was detected in the 
                         Mercury's high latitude magnetopause during a northward 
                         interplanetary magnetic field. The reconnection X-line region was 
                         revealed in the Mercury's magnetopause based on the encountered 
                         flux ropes ejected away from this region both planetward and 
                         tailward. A series of magnetic flux ropes, known as flux transfer 
                         event shower were observed tailward of this X-line region. These 
                         flux ropes were probably expanding and deflected as they were 
                         ejected away tailward from the X-line region. Large-amplitude 
                         variations in all three components of the magnetic field and a few 
                         small-scale flux ropes were observed inside the X-line region, 
                         which could be the seed of the flux rope shower at the 
                         magnetopause. The observations suggest that magnetic reconnection 
                         is highly dynamic and persistent in Mercury's magnetosphere. 
                         Magnetic reconnection has been regarded as the most important 
                         process for dynamics of the Mercury's magnetosphere and for the 
                         interaction between the solar wind and the Mercury's magnetosphere 
                         also. Although magnetic flux ropes and flux transfer events (FTEs) 
                         resulting from magnetic reconnection have been extensively 
                         observed in the Mercury's magnetosphere, the key region of 
                         magnetic reconnection, namely the X-line region, has never been 
                         reported so far by the spacecraft. Here, we present the first 
                         evidence of the reconnection X-line region in the Mercury's 
                         magnetosphere. A few small-scale magnetic flux ropes are observed 
                         inside the reconnection X-line region, which could be the seed of 
                         the observed magnetic FTE shower. Furthermore, the evolution of 
                         these flux ropes is addressed also based on the spacecraft 
                         observations. A reconnection X-line region is first observed in 
                         the Mercury's magnetopause during the northward interplanetary 
                         magnetic field The small-scale magnetic flux ropes in the X-line 
                         region could be the seed of the flux transfer event shower The 
                         flux ropes probably expand and is deflected after they are ejected 
                         away from the X-line region.",
                  doi = "10.1029/2023GL106282",
                  url = "http://dx.doi.org/10.1029/2023GL106282",
                 issn = "0094-8276",
             language = "en",
           targetfile = "Geophysical Research Letters - 2024 - Wang - Direct Detection of 
                         Ongoing Magnetic Reconnection at Mercury s 
                         High\‐Latitude.pdf",
        urlaccessdate = "29 jun. 2024"
}