Location and propagation of the magnetotail current disruption during substorm expansion: Analysis and simulation of an ISEE multi-onset event

Journal Article · Fri Mar 01 00:00:00 EST 1991 · Geophysical Research Letters (American Geophysical Union); (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/90GL02789· OSTI ID:5995401

Jacquey, C; Sauvaud, J A; Dandouras, J ^[1]

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1. CNRS/Toulouse Univ. (France)

Magnetic field variations measured onboard the ISEE-1 spacecraft in the tail northern lobe ({approximately}22 R{sub E} geocentric distance) during a substorm with multiple onsets are analyzed and simulated using a model current sheet shows that substorm onsets are associated with a partial disruption of the cross-tail current that begins in the near-earth plasma sheet ({approximately}7 R{sub E}) and that expands tailward during substorm expansion with a velocity of the order of 300 km/s. The two consecutive substorm onsets, which occur during a very active period (AE > 500 nT), correspond to a similar partial disruption of the near-earth current sheet that expands tailwards over a distance of the order of 80 R{sub E}.

• OSTI ID: 5995401
• Journal Information: Geophysical Research Letters (American Geophysical Union); (United States), Vol. 18:3; ISSN 0094-8276
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
MAGNETIC BAYS
MAGNETOTAIL
ELECTRIC CURRENTS
COMPUTERIZED SIMULATION
DATA ANALYSIS
EXPANSION
EXPLORER SATELLITES
MAGNETIC FIELDS
PLASMA SHEET
REMOTE SENSING
VARIATIONS
CURRENTS
EARTH ATMOSPHERE
EARTH MAGNETOSPHERE
SATELLITES
SIMULATION
661320* - Auroral
Ionospheric
& Magnetospheric Phenomena- (1992-)