Lower hybrid drift waves during reconnection in Earth's magnetosphere

Magnetic reconnection, the breaking and reconnecting of non-parallel magnetic field lines at the intersection of inflowing plasmas, is a source of abundant free energy that heats particles throughout the universe. Observations by the Magnetosphereic Multiscale (MMS) mission reveal the lower-hybrid drift waves (LHDWs) during many of magnetic reconnection events in Earth’s magnetosphere. This study examines the LHDWs during multiple events to understand the role of these waves in magnetic reconnection during which magnetic energy is transferred to kinetic energy of electrons. Initial results of this work demonstrate that β_e is related to the type of LHDW observed, and the wave power and the change in electron temperature are positively correlated.