First MMS Observations of High Time Resolution 3D Electric and Magnetic fields at the Dayside Magnetopause.

International audienceThe electrodynamics at the magnetopause is key to our understanding of ion and electron acceleration within reconnection regions. The Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) fleet of four spacecraft was launched into its Phase-1 equatorial orbit of 12 Re apogee specifically to investigate these regions at the Earth's magnetopause. In addition to a comprehensive suite of particle measurements, MMS makes very high time resolution 3D electric and magnetic field measurements of high accuracy using flux-gate, search coil, 3-axis double probe, and electron drift sensors. In September 2015, the MMS fleet will begin to encounter the dusk-side magnetopause in its initial configuration of approximately 160 km separation, allowing investigation of the spatial and temporal characteristics of important electrodynamics during reconnection. Using these field and particle measurements, we present first observations of 3D magnetic and electric fields (including their parallel component), and inferred current sheets, during active magnetopause crossings using the highest time resolution data available on MMS