Particle energization near an X line in the magnetotail based on global MHD fields
- Naval Research Lab., Washington, DC (United States); and others
Particle acceleration near an X line in the magnetotail and the resulting ion distribution functions in the central plasma sheet are studied by using 2 1/2-dimensional test particle simulations. The electric and magnetic fields are taken from a three-dimensional global magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) simulation model describing the solar wind-magnetosphere interaction. A southward interplanetary magnetic field is chosen as the input solar wind condition. Test particles are generated from a model ion source distribution consistent with the macroscopic MHD parameters in the lobe region. The particles are calculated earthward and tailward of the X line. It is found that ion distributions consist of two main components: a low-energy population similar to the input distribution and a high-energy population. The former corresponds to particles that do not cross the region in which the B{sub x} field reverses direction, while the latter consists of particles which cross the midplane, gaining energies on the order of keV. The spatial dependence of the relative population of low-energy versus high-energy components is discussed. The details of the acceleration process are determined from the motion of test particles in the simulation. 44 refs., 7 figs.
- OSTI ID:
- 227122
- Journal Information:
- Journal of Geophysical Research, Vol. 100, Issue A10; Other Information: PBD: 1 Oct 1995
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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