Ion streams in the magnetotail

Journal Article · Mon Jun 01 00:00:00 EDT 1981 · J. Geophys. Res.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/JA086iA06p04639· OSTI ID:5988916

Sharp, R D; Carr, D L; Peterson, W K; Shelley, E G

Ion mass spectrometer observations of low-temperature streaming plasmas in the earth's magnetotail are reported. Measurements in the energy per charge range 0< or =E/q< or =17 keV/e were made at geocentric radial distances <23 R/sub E/ from the ISEE 1 spacecraft. Ion streams of solar wind origin in the magnetotail boundary layer and of ionospheric origin in the tail lobes and plasma sheet are described. A statistical study of some of the characteristics of the streams allows us to infer that the central tail plasmas are primarily primarily constituted of ion streams of ionosphere is a significant contributor to the hot plasmas that form the plasma sheet.

• Research Organization: Lockheed Palo Alto Research Laboratory, Palo Alto, California 94304
• OSTI ID: 5988916
• Journal Information: J. Geophys. Res.; (United States), Vol. 86:A6
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
MAGNETOTAIL
ION DENSITY
PLASMA SHEET
ION TEMPERATURE
IONOSPHERE
KEV RANGE 01-10
KEV RANGE 10-100
SOLAR WIND
EARTH ATMOSPHERE
ENERGY RANGE
KEV RANGE
MAGNETOSPHERE
PLANETARY IONOSPHERES
SOLAR ACTIVITY
640203* - Atmospheric Physics- Magnetospheric Phenomena- (-1987)