[en] A brief review of the recent studies on magnetic reconnection by the Alaskan group will be presented in this paper. The subjects covered include: the multiple X line reconnection (MXR) model for the flux transfer events, the criterion for the transition from the single X line to the multiple X line reconnection, a global simulation of the dayside magnetopause reconnection, a particle simulation of single X line reconnection and multiple X line reconnection, a patchy reconnection mechanism, and a mechanism for the generation of cusp-region hydromagnetic waves. (author). 35 refs.; 5 figs

[en] Impulsive plasma penetration has been proposed as a means by which solar wind plasma may cross the magnetopause and enter the magnetosphere. It has been predicted that plasma entry by this means will be correlated with a magnetopause penetration parameter. One of the most important signatures of plasma entry into the magnetosphere are flux transfer events (FTEs). If plasma penetration is an important mechanism in plasma entry, then it would be expected that the occurrence of flux transfer events will correlate with the penetration parameter. On the other hand, if reconnection is, as widely believed, the dominant mechanism for the entry of solar-wind plasma into the magnetosphere, then plasma entry will be correlated with the north/south IMF component. AMPTE UKS data show that the occurrence of FTE signatures is better correlated with the direction of the IMF than with the penetration parameter. Thus, impulsive plasma penetration is unlikely to be the mechanism responsible for FTEs

[en] Complete text of publication follows. The presentation will review advances, obtained in the last couple years, in our understanding of the magnetopause, its boundary layer, their role, and the processes that occur there. Observational, modelling and theoretical works will be reviewed.

No abstract available

[en] The structure of the boundary layer near the magnetopause is discussed. The boundary layer is the plasma region situated along the magnetospheric boundary. High-latitude boundary layer rises from the dayside cusp and extends to the magnetotail. Low-latitude boundary layer is situated in the frontal part ofthe magnetosphere and on flanks at low latitudes

[en] The qualitative scheme of conductivity current generation in current layers in the magnetosphere tail, in the heliosphere, during the magnetopause and plasmapause is discussed. It is shown that in active cosmic plasma regions the Kauling effect, amplifying conductivity currents in the boundary current layers, can be realized. 8 refs.; 1 fig

[en] Complete text of publication follows. The upstream conditions play a significant role in the dayside magnetopause configuration and its motion. Our investigations are focused on the detailed analysis of the magnetopause reformation after sudden changes of the IMF orientation and description of the magnetosheath coupling with magnetopause low-latitude boundary layer under northward and southward IMF Bz components. The observed transients are analyzed, classified and attributed to the corresponding sources. Among them, the sudden rotation of the magnetosheath magnetic field seems to be very frequent. The study is supported with a large-scale comparison between THEMIS in situ plasma and magnetic field observations and the corresponding predictions of a global numerical MHD model.

[en] Unsteady reconnection problem in skewed fields under the finite length of X-line is considered in the frame of ideal incompressible MHD approximation. The propagation of discontinuities as well as the evolution of magnetic field, analytically for the arbitrary given function which describe the time behaviour of reconnection rate. In the neighbourhood of the X-line the solution looks like the well-known Petschek solution. Plasma is strongly accelerated when crossing the moving slow shocks, which propagate along the magnetic field in different directions skewed fields. As a consequence the process leads to the large extension of magnetic flux tubes closed across the initial current sheet. The basic features of these tubes resemble very much the behaviour of dayside FTE's. (author). 5 refs.; 2 figs

[en] In this paper, the stabilities of MHD rotational discontinuities are analyzed. The results show that the rotational discontinuities in an incompressible magnetofluid are not always stable with respect to infinitesimal perturbation. The instability condition in a special case is obtained. (author)

No abstract available