Alignment of plasma anisotropies and the magnetic field direction in the solar wind

Journal Article · Thu Dec 01 04:00:00 EST 1977 · J. Geophys. Res.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/JA082i035p05555· OSTI ID:5331690

Asbridge, J R; Bame, S J; Feldman, W C; Gosling, J T; Ness, N F

One year's Imp 6 solar wind plasma and magnetic field data are examined to determined whether anisotropies in particle velocity distribution are aligned with the measured interplanetary magnetic field vector. Alignment of components in the analysis plane was generally found to be excellent whenever plasma parameter magnitudes were larger than determination uncertainties, although some spread exists (typical rms approx. =10/sup 0/). By assuming cylindrical symmetry about the simultaneously measured magnetic field vector during the 1-year interval under study, three-dimensional values of selected solar wind plasma thermal parameters were constructed from the two-dimensional plasma measurements, and the statistical properties of their distributions have been tabulated.

• Research Organization: University of California, Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545
• OSTI ID: 5331690
• Journal Information: J. Geophys. Res.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Geophys. Res.; (United States) Vol. 82:35; ISSN JGREA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640104* -- Astrophysics & Cosmology-- Solar Phenomena
640107 -- Astrophysics & Cosmology-- Planetary Phenomena
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
ALPHA PARTICLES
ANISOTROPY
BARYONS
CHARGED PARTICLES
DISTRIBUTION FUNCTIONS
ELECTRONS
ELEMENTARY PARTICLES
FERMIONS
HADRONS
HEAT FLUX
IMP SATELLITES
INTERPLANETARY MAGNETIC FIELDS
LEPTONS
MAGNETIC FIELDS
NUCLEONS
PROTON TEMPERATURE
PROTONS
SATELLITES
SOLAR ACTIVITY
SOLAR WIND
VELOCITY