On the deviation from Maxwellian of the ion velocity distribution functions in the turbulent magnetosheath. (arXiv:1905.09466v1 [physics.space-ph])

On the deviation from Maxwellian of the ion velocity distribution functions in the turbulent magnetosheath. (arXiv:1905.09466v1 [physics.space-ph])
<a href="http://arxiv.org/find/physics/1/au:+Perri_S/0/1/0/all/0/1">Silvia Perri</a>, <a href="http://arxiv.org/find/physics/1/au:+Perrone_D/0/1/0/all/0/1">D. Perrone</a>, <a href="http://arxiv.org/find/physics/1/au:+Yordanova_E/0/1/0/all/0/1">E. Yordanova</a>, <a href="http://arxiv.org/find/physics/1/au:+Sorriso_Valvo_L/0/1/0/all/0/1">L. Sorriso-Valvo</a>, <a href="http://arxiv.org/find/physics/1/au:+Paterson_W/0/1/0/all/0/1">W. R. Paterson</a>, <a href="http://arxiv.org/find/physics/1/au:+Gershman_D/0/1/0/all/0/1">D. J. Gershman</a>, <a href="http://arxiv.org/find/physics/1/au:+Giles_B/0/1/0/all/0/1">B. L. Giles</a>, <a href="http://arxiv.org/find/physics/1/au:+Pollock_C/0/1/0/all/0/1">C. J. Pollock</a>, <a href="http://arxiv.org/find/physics/1/au:+Dorelli_J/0/1/0/all/0/1">J. C. Dorelli</a>, <a href="http://arxiv.org/find/physics/1/au:+Avanov_L/0/1/0/all/0/1">L. A. Avanov</a>, <a href="http://arxiv.org/find/physics/1/au:+Lavraud_B/0/1/0/all/0/1">B. Lavraud</a>, <a href="http://arxiv.org/find/physics/1/au:+Saito_Y/0/1/0/all/0/1">Y. Saito</a>, <a href="http://arxiv.org/find/physics/1/au:+Nakamura_R/0/1/0/all/0/1">R. Nakamura</a>, <a href="http://arxiv.org/find/physics/1/au:+Fischer_D/0/1/0/all/0/1">D. Fischer</a>, <a href="http://arxiv.org/find/physics/1/au:+Baumjohann_W/0/1/0/all/0/1">W. Baumjohann</a>, <a href="http://arxiv.org/find/physics/1/au:+Plaschke_F/0/1/0/all/0/1">F. Plaschke</a>, <a href="http://arxiv.org/find/physics/1/au:+Narita_Y/0/1/0/all/0/1">Y. Narita</a>, <a href="http://arxiv.org/find/physics/1/au:+Magnes_W/0/1/0/all/0/1">W. Magnes</a>, <a href="http://arxiv.org/find/physics/1/au:+Russell_C/0/1/0/all/0/1">C. T. Russell</a>, <a href="http://arxiv.org/find/physics/1/au:+Strangeway_R/0/1/0/all/0/1">R. J. Strangeway</a>, <a href="http://arxiv.org/find/physics/1/au:+Contel_O/0/1/0/all/0/1">O. Le Contel</a>, <a href="http://arxiv.org/find/physics/1/au:+Khotyaintsev_Y/0/1/0/all/0/1">Y. Khotyaintsev</a>, <a href="http://arxiv.org/find/physics/1/au:+Valentini_F/0/1/0/all/0/1">F. Valentini</a>

The degree of deviation from the thermodynamic equilibrium in the ion
velocity distribution functions (VDFs), measured by the Magnetospheric
Multiscale (MMS) mission in the Earth’s turbulent magnetosheath, is
quantitatively investigated. Taking advantage of MMS ion data, having a
resolution never reached before in space missions, and of the comparison with
Vlasov-Maxwell simulations, this analysis aims at relating any deviation from
Maxwellian equilibrium to typical plasma parameters. Correlations of the
non-Maxwellian features with plasma quantities such as electric fields, ion
temperature, current density and ion vorticity are very similar in both
magnetosheath data and numerical experiments, and suggest that distortions in
the ion VDFs occur close to (but not exactly at) peaks in current density and
ion temperature. Similar results have also been found during a magnetopause
crossing by MMS. This work could help clarifying the origin of distortion of
the ion VDFs in space plasmas.

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