X-ray imaging of Kelvin-Helmholtz waves at the magnetopause

This paper simulates the Kelvin-Helmholtz wave (KHW)-induced X-ray emissions at the low-latitude magnetopause based on a global MHD code. A method is proposed to extract the KHW information from the X-ray intensity measured by a hypothetical X-ray telescope onboard a satellite assumed with a low Earth orbit. Specifically, the X-ray intensity at high latitude is subtracted from the intensity map as a background to highlight the role of KHW. Using this method, global features of KHW such as the vortex velocity, perturbation degree, spatial distribution, and temporal evolution could be evaluated from the X-ray intensity map. The validity of this method during intervals of solar wind disturbances is also verified. According to the simulation results, X-ray imaging of KHW is suggested as a promising observation technique to essentially “see” the large-scale configuration and evolution of KHW for the first time.