Low-frequency Magnetic Field Fluctuations: Dependence of the Correlation Length on Upstream Parameters
2009
Abstract
The paper presents a statistical study of magnetic field fluctuations observed by the Cluster spacecraft near the dusk/dawn meridian at the magnetosheath in the vicinity of the magnetopause. We have found that the correlation length of such fluctuations depends on the solar wind speed, distance to the magnetopause and amplitude of magnetic field magnitude fluctuations.
The fluctuations with anticorrelation between density and magnetic field fluctuations (for separations up to 1 RE) have shorter correlation lengths. The slopes of FFT spectra of magnetic field magnitude fluctuations decrease with larger solar wind speed and larger distance to the magnetopause