Origin of net negative energy conversion along the low-β∥ edge

Determine the physical origin of net negative electron- and ion-frame Joule dissipation signatures along the low-β∥ edge in magnetosheath anisotropy–beta parameter space, identifying the mechanisms responsible for energy transfer from flow to fields in these regions.

Background

The paper reports enhanced non-ideal energy conversion near instability thresholds and highlights an additional region of interest along the low-β∥ edge for both species, where the mean signed energy conversion is negative.

Although the paper documents this phenomenon statistically, it explicitly states that the cause of this effect is not yet understood, pinpointing a concrete unresolved question about the underlying physical mechanism.