Inverse Energy Dispersion of Energetic Ions Observed in the Magnetosheath

Abstract: We present a case study of energetic ions observed by the Energetic Particle Detector (EPD) on the Magnetospheric Multiscale spacecraft in the magnetosheath just outside the subsolar magnetopause that occurred at 1000 UT on 8 December 2015. As the magnetopause receded inward, the EPD observed a burst of energetic (approximately 50-1000 keV) proton, helium, and oxygen ions that exhibited an inverse dispersion, with the lowest energy ions appearing first. The prolonged interval of fast antisunw…