Pitch angle scattering of cometary ions into monospherical and bispherical distributions

Journal Article · Sat Jun 01 04:00:00 EDT 1991 · Geophysical Research Letters (American Geophysical Union); (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/91GL01047· OSTI ID:5316496

Miller, R H; Gombosi, T I ^[1]; Gary, S P; Winske, D ^[2]

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1. Univ. of Michigan, Ann Arbor (USA)
2. Los Alamos National Lab., NM (USA)

Low frequency magnetic fluctuations generated by solar wind/cometary ion distributions cause pitch-angle scattering of cometary ions. The nature of this pitch angle scattering is examined by means of one-dimensional hybrid simulations, in which newborn ions are created at a constant rate, and for various injection angles, {alpha}, relative to the magnetic field. Pitch angle scattering in the quasi-perpendicular regime ({alpha} > 60{degree}) results in a bispherical velocity distribution while in the quasi-parallel regime (0 {le} {alpha} {le} 60{degree}), pitch angle scattering can result in either a mono or bispherical distribution depending of the injection angle and intial beam velocity.

• OSTI ID: 5316496
• Journal Information: Geophysical Research Letters (American Geophysical Union); (United States), Journal Name: Geophysical Research Letters (American Geophysical Union); (United States) Vol. 18:6; ISSN 0094-8276; ISSN GPRLA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640107* -- Astrophysics & Cosmology-- Planetary Phenomena
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
CHARGED PARTICLES
COMETS
COMPUTERIZED SIMULATION
DISTRIBUTION
ENERGY TRANSFER
FLUCTUATIONS
INSTABILITY
INTERACTIONS
IONIZATION
IONS
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
SCATTERING
SIMULATION
SOLAR ACTIVITY
SOLAR WIND
VARIATIONS
VELOCITY