The flank magnetopause: INTERBALL observations Original Research Article

The magnetopause represents a key boundary in the solar wind — magnetosphere coupling. Our analysis of corresponding INTERBALL-1 and MAGION-4 spacecraft observations of the high-latitude and flank magnetopause reveals a variety of transient processes superimposed upon a complicated boundary layer structure. The turbulent motion of the plasma compressed behind the bow shock can cause a local deformation of the magnetopause and its inward motion with respect to the mean position determined from magnetopause models. The presented statistics shows that this process prevails on the dawn magnetopause. The effects of the magnetospheath turbulence are further amplified by reconnection if the magnetic shear is high enough.