Locally Generated Whistler-Mode Waves Before Dipolarization Fronts
Round 1
Reviewer 1 Report
Comments and Suggestions for AuthorsThe manuscript “Locally generated Whistler-mode Waves before Dipolarization Fronts” investigates the generation of whistler-mode waves in the Earth's magnetotail, focusing on their occurrence ahead of dipolarization fronts (DFs). Traditionally, these waves were thought to originate in strong magnetic field regions behind DFs, but this research challenges that conventional view. Using data from MMS, the authors present observations and analysis suggesting that these waves are locally excited in weak magnetic field regions preceding DFs. The study proposes that magnetic mirror structures, rather than betatron acceleration, are responsible for the electron temperature anisotropy that drives these waves, offering a new understanding of wave excitation mechanisms in this space environment.
Here are several comments should be solved before publishment.
Line 93, “(Liu et al., 2018)” , the author should uniform citation format.
In line 131, the author mentioned Figure 3c. However, there is no panel c in Figure 3. Is it just a typo?
In Figure 3b, it seems that the growth rate is positive within the frequency range ~6-12Hz, consistent with observations. Why not use same range of the y-axis in Figure 3a and 3b?
The author proposes that magnetic mirror structures, rather than betatron acceleration, result in the electron temperature anisotropy. Is there any observational evidence to prove the existence of mirror structure? Or, any mirror structure characteristic?
Author Response
Please see the attachment.
Author Response File: 
Author Response.pdf
Reviewer 2 Report
Comments and Suggestions for AuthorsI have attached the file.
Comments for author File: Comments.pdf
Author Response
Please see the attachment.
Author Response File: Author Response.pdf
Reviewer 3 Report
Comments and Suggestions for Authorshe manuscript contains an analysis of experimental measurements from the satellite mission MMS, around the Earth magnetosphere.
The data are acquired in the phase immediately preceding a Dipolarization front (DF), i.e. a magnetic reconnection event.
During these events a lot of electromagnetic activity is generated, which is partially coupled to particle kinetics, leading to diffusion, acceleration, and heating.
The study focusses on the detection on a particular kind of electromagnetic activity: whistler modes. These modes have attracted attention since are believed to be very strongly coupled to particles. Whistler modes have been identified during DF's, but the goal of the research is to provide evidence that whistlers are actually triggered even immediately in advance of them.
Signatures of the whistler modes are acquired through measurements of polarization, dispersion relation, etc .... The evidence in favour of their presence is apparently robust.
The final part of the manuscript is more speculative, attempting to grasp which mechanism is at the basis of the generation of whistler modes within this environment.
I am not an expert of the Earth magnetosphere physics, hence cannot assess to which extent the topic addressed in the manuscript is actually important for this field of research, but the authors produced an extensive and convincing bibliography, so I guess that the topic must not be marginal.
The whole manuscript relies on the postprocessing of MMS data, which are trustworthy. Thus, provided that the postprocessing is done correctly, there should exist little doubt about the correctness of the conclusions.
My overall feeling is that the paper is convincing but, as a non-expert, I found some difficulty in interpreting their description of the magnetic event. I summarize my problems:
1) The figures 1,2, that contain the studied data, encompass the time interval from 11:45:36.5 to 11:45:44. What I understand from line 70-71 of the manuscript is that this time interval corresponds to the pre-DF phase. But, at line 75 the authors seem to claim, instead, that the DF starts at 11:45:39. Fuerthermore, at line 91, they claim that the DF interval is between 11:45:38.5 and 11:45:40.5. Could the authors clarify better which is the DF phase and the pre-DF phase?
2) At line 83, the authors state that fluctuations of the electric field, in figure 1g, are close to +/-5mV/m. Apart for a single spike at about 11:45:39.6, what I get from that figure is that there is a smooth trend of the electric field, with superposed fluctuations, whose amplitude is close to 1 mV/m. Could the authors discuss this point and explain where the evidence for the 5 mV/m does come from?
3) I discovered that a common habit of researchers working on MMS data is to produce figures with a huge number of panels stacked: Figure 1, for example, counts 10 subplots! Personally, I find this habit annoying, since the individual curves are all compressed and it is difficult to appreciate the details. I was not able to find in the text any reference to suplots (i) and (j) of figure 1. If they are not employed, could the authors removing them so as to produce a less cluttered figure?
I believe that, after these minor issues have been settled, the manuscript may be published.
Author Response
Please see the attachment.
Author Response File: Author Response.pdf
Round 2
Reviewer 2 Report
Comments and Suggestions for AuthorsThank you for addressing all the comments. I believe the paper is suitable for publication in its current form.
