MMS Fly Along with Magnetopause Reconnection
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- Visualizations by:
- Tom Bridgman
- View full credits
In this data visualization, we fly along with the MMS spacecraft in tetrahedral formation. The mesh structure in the distance is the magnetopause.
Each image frame corresponds to a time step of 30 milliseconds, one of the faster data sampling modes for MMS.
The arrows represent the data collected by the spacecraft. To better comprehend changes as the spacecraft moves along, the data are allowed to 'echo' along the spacecraft trail. The length of the vectors represent the relative magnitude of the vector. However, the electron and proton vectors are scaled so equal velocities correspond to vectors of equal magnitude.
Magenta represents the direction and magnitude of the magnetic field at the spacecraft position. Yellow represents the direction and magnitude of the bulk motion (total average) velocity of the electrons measured at the spacecraft position. Blue represents the direction and magnitude of the bulk motion (total average) velocity of the protons measured at the spacecraft position.
Credits
Please give credit for this item to:
NASA's Scientific Visualization Studio
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Visualizer
- Tom Bridgman (Global Science and Technology, Inc.) [Lead]
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Scientists
- Jim Burch (SwRI)
- Paul Cassak (West Virginia University)
- Thomas Moore (NASA/GSFC)
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Scientific data support
- Daniel Gershman (NASA/GSFC)
- Steven C. Martin (ADNET Systems, Inc.)
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Producer
- Genna Duberstein (ADNET Systems, Inc.)
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Technical support
- Ian Jones (ADNET Systems, Inc.)
- Laurence Schuler (ADNET Systems, Inc.)
Missions
This visualization is related to the following missions:Series
This visualization can be found in the following series:Papers used in this visualization
Datasets used in this visualization
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MMS MMS-FIELDS
ID: 920 -
MMS MMS-FPI
ID: 921
Note: While we identify the data sets used in these visualizations, we do not store any further details, nor the data sets themselves on our site.
Related Pages
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ID: 4639 Visualization
MMS Sees a New Type of Reconnection
Read moreThe Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) mission consists of four identical satellites that traverse various regions of Earth's magnetosphere measuring the particles and electric and magnetic field which influence them.In the turbulent plasma between Earth's magnetopause and bow shock, a region called the magnetosheath, the MMS satellite constellation has measured multiple jets of energetic electrons between magnetic bubbles. This appears to be a new 'flavor' of magnetic reconnection based on electrons and occuring on smaller time and spatial scales than the standard model of magnetic reconnection with ions.In these data visualizations, the arrows represent the data collected by the spacecraft. To better comprehend changes as the spacecraft moves along, the data are allowed to 'echo' along the spacecraft trail. The length of the vectors represent the relative magnitude of the vector. However, the electron and proton vectors are scaled so equal velocities correspond to vectors of equal magnitude.Magenta represents the direction and magnitude of the magnetic field at the spacecraft position.Green represents the direction and magnitude of the net electric current created by the motion of the electrons and ions measured at the spacecraft position.The four MMS spacecraft are represented by colored spheres, corresponding to the plotted data lines in the lower graphicMMS1MMS2MMS3MMS4The clocks on MMS are synchronized for the TAI (International Atomic Time) system provided through the Global Positioning System (GPS) satellites. It provides a high-precision time reference for comparing MMS measurements to other datasets. ||
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ID: 4453 Visualization
Zoom in to MMS and Magnetopause Reconnection
Read moreThe visualization starts with an overview of the MMS orbit. || MMSpursuit_Fly2Pursuit2Stop_Oct16data_RE_MMS.slate_RigRHS.HD1080i.0200_print.jpg (1024x576) [91.6 KB] || MMSpursuit_Fly2Pursuit2Stop_Oct16data_RE_MMS.slate_RigRHS.HD1080i.0200_searchweb.png (320x180) [71.3 KB] || MMSpursuit_Fly2Pursuit2Stop_Oct16data_RE_MMS.slate_RigRHS.HD1080i.0200_thm.png (80x40) [4.9 KB] || frames/1920x1080_16x9_30p/ (1920x1080) [256.0 KB] || MMSpursuit_Fly2Pursuit2Stop_Oct16data_HD1080i_p30.mp4 (1920x1080) [81.6 MB] || MMSpursuit_Fly2Pursuit2Stop_Oct16data_HD1080i_p30.webm (1920x1080) [9.3 MB] || frames/3840x2160_16x9_30p/ (3840x2160) [256.0 KB] || MMSpursuit_Fly2Pursuit2Stop_Oct16data.UHD3840p30.mp4 (3840x2160) [238.2 MB] ||
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ID: 4460 Visualization
Data Tour of MMS and Magnetopause Reconnection
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ID: 12280 Produced Video
Seeing Earth's Magnetism
Read moreNASA spacecraft fly through a magnetic explosion in space, and scientists visualize the result. || cf-1024.jpg (1024x576) [236.1 KB] || cf-1280.jpg (1280x720) [322.6 KB] || cf-1024_print.jpg (1024x576) [249.2 KB] || cf-1024_searchweb.png (320x180) [108.4 KB] || cf-1024_web.png (320x180) [108.4 KB] || cf-1024_thm.png (80x40) [22.3 KB] ||
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ID: 12239 Produced Video
MMS First Results
Read moreThis short video outlines the MMS mission and its first results. Since it launched, MMS has made more than 4,000 trips through the magnetic boundaries around Earth, each time gathering information about the way the magnetic fields and particles move. A surprising result was that at the moment of interconnection between the sun’s magnetic field lines and those of Earth the crescents turned abruptly so that the electrons flowed along the field lines. By watching these electron tracers, MMS made the first observation of the predicted breaking and interconnection of magnetic fields in space. Credit: NASA/GSFCWatch this video on the NASA Goddard YouTube channel. || mmsthumb.jpg (1280x720) [139.4 KB] || mmsthumb_print.jpg (1024x576) [161.8 KB] || mmsthumb_searchweb.png (320x180) [104.3 KB] || mmsthumb_web.png (320x180) [104.3 KB] || mmsthumb_thm.png (80x40) [6.8 KB] || 12239_MMS_First_ResultsV2.mov (1920x1080) [4.2 GB] || PRORES_B-ROLL_12239_MMS_First_ResultsV2_prores.mov (1280x720) [2.2 GB] || YOUTUBE_HQ_12239_MMS_First_ResultsV2_youtube_hq.mov (1920x1080) [1.1 GB] || 12239_MMS_First_ResultsV2_appletv.m4v (1280x720) [76.9 MB] || 12239_MMS_First_ResultsV2.webm (1920x1080) [18.1 MB] || 12239_MMS_First_ResultsV2_appletv_subtitles.m4v (1280x720) [77.0 MB] || 12239_MMS_First_ResultsV2.en_US.srt [3.0 KB] || 12239_MMS_First_ResultsV2.en_US.vtt [3.0 KB] || 12239_MMS_First_ResultsV2_lowres.mp4 (480x272) [21.6 MB] || 12239_MMS_First_ResultsV2_ipod_sm.mp4 (320x240) [26.3 MB] ||
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