Journal Article

Mirror Mode Mediated EMIC Wave Generation in the Magnetosheath

Tao, Xin, Dai, Lei, Zhao, Jinsong, Shi, Chen, Wu, Yifan, Liu, Xiaoman

2026

Overview

Electromagnetic ion cyclotron (EMIC) waves and mirror modes (MMs), both driven by ion temperature anisotropy, are commonly observed in planetary magnetosheaths. Conventional explanations for their co‐occurrence are largely based on linear instability theory in proton–electron plasmas, which requires comparable growth rates for the EMIC and MM instabilities. Magnetosheath plasmas, however, contain a fraction of heavy ions, and how such composition affects the coexistence of EMIC waves and MMs has been less explored. Using kinetic hybrid simulations with typical magnetosheath parameters, we show that although the presence of heavy ions suppresses the initial linear EMIC instability, EMIC waves arise as MMs develop. The evolving MMs generate flat‐top proton velocity distributions with enhanced resonant populations, which in turn excite EMIC waves. These results extend the conventional coexistence scenario of MMs and EMIC waves and reveal a new pathway for energy transfer among MMs, EMIC waves, and particles in magnetosheath plasmas.

• Publisher: John Wiley & Sons, Inc
• Subject: Anisotropy / Coexistence / Cyclotrons / Electron plasma / Energy transfer / Growth rate / Heavy ions / Ion temperature / Ions / Magnetic fields / Magnetosheath / Planetary magnetosheaths / Plasma / Protons / Simulation / Wave generation