Identification of interplanetary tangential and rotational discontinuities

Journal Article · Tue May 01 04:00:00 EDT 1973 · Journal of Geophysical Research

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/JA078i013p02054· OSTI ID:4418203

Smith, Edward J.

Discontinuities in the interplanetary magnetic field detected by the Mariner 5 magnetondeter have been analyzed to distinguish tangential and rotational discontinuities. The method used was based on finding the field component normal to-the plane of the discontinuities that vanishes for tangential discontinuities and is nonzero for rotational discontinuities. The normal to each discontinuity was obtained by a variance analysis of the field vectors on both sides and within the current layer to find the direction of minimum field variation. Supplementary information concerning the existence or absence of changes in field magnitude across the discontinuities was also used to permit an unambiguous identification of both tangential and rotational discontinuities. Slightly less than one half of the 118 discontinuities analyzed could not be classified because neither the normal component nor the changes in field magnitude were statistically significant owing to errors in the field measurements and in finding the normal direction. The 44 rotational discontinuities that were finally identified did not exhibit changes in field magnitude in excess of 20%, an uncertainty that is consistent with the anticipated maximum error in measurement. (auth)

• Research Organization: Jet Propulsion Lab., Pasadena, CA
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• NSA Number: NSA-29-003301
• OSTI ID: 4418203
• Journal Information: Journal of Geophysical Research, Journal Name: Journal of Geophysical Research Journal Issue: 13 Vol. 78; ISSN 0148-0227
• Publisher: American Geophysical Union
• Country of Publication: Country unknown/Code not available
• Language: English

Related Subjects

*INTERPLANETARY SPACE-- MAGNETIC FIELDS
MAGNETOMETERS
MARINER SPACE PROBES
N56700* --Physics (Astrophysics & Cosmology)--Planetary Phenomena
VARIATIONS
VECTORS