Energetic electrons and ions in the magnetosheath at low and medium latitudes: Prognoz 10 data
- Institute of Experimental Physics, Kosice (Czechoslovakia)
- and others
The authors present a survey of Prognoz 10 energetic ion (>15 keV) and electron (>30 keV) observations at low and middle latitudes in the dayside magnetosheath. At low latitudes, peak fluxes are observed inside the magnetopause, whereas at middle latitudes the peak fluxes are observed in the magnetosheath at some distance from the magnetopause. Both electron and ion fluxes tend to be greater outside the dawnside magnetopause than outside the duskside magnetopause. The flux of energetic particles in the outer magnetosheath is almost invariably less than within the inner magnetosheath. Although the particle flux exhibits a clear dependence upon geomagnetic activity, no such dependence upon the local magnetosheath magnetic field orientation was noted. The authors interpret the observations as indicating that leakage of magnetospheric particles is the dominant source of energetic particles in the magnetosheath, but do not rule out Fermi acceleration at the bow shock as a possible subsidiary contributor to the population of ions with energies of about 15 keV. 29 refs., 6 figs., 2 tabs.
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE
- OSTI ID:
- 160373
- Journal Information:
- Journal of Geophysical Research, Journal Name: Journal of Geophysical Research Journal Issue: A10 Vol. 97; ISSN JGREA2; ISSN 0148-0227
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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