ISEE observations of low frequency waves and ion distribution function evolution in the plasma sheet boundary layer

Journal Article · Mon Oct 01 00:00:00 EDT 1990 · Geophysical Research Letters (American Geophysical Union); (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/GL017i011p02023· OSTI ID:5391927

Elphic, R C; Gary, S P ^[1]

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1. Los Alamos National Lab., NM (USA)

This paper describes ISEE plasma and magnetic fluctuation observations during two crossings of the plasma sheet boundary layer in the Earth's magnetotail. Distribution function observations show that the counterstreaming ion components undergo pitch-angle scattering and evolve into a shell distribution in velocity space. This evolution is correlated with the development of low frequency, low amplitude magnetic fluctuations. However, the measured wave amplitudes are insufficient to accomplish the observed degree of ion pitch-angle scattering locally; the near-Earth distributions may be the result of processes occurring much farther down the magnetotail. The results show a clear correlation between the ion component beta and the relative streaming speed of the two components, suggesting that electromagnetic ion/ion instabilities do play an important role in the scattering of PSBL ions.

• OSTI ID: 5391927
• Journal Information: Geophysical Research Letters (American Geophysical Union); (United States), Vol. 17:11; ISSN 0094-8276
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
IONS
DISTRIBUTION FUNCTIONS
MAGNETOTAIL
ION WAVE INSTABILITY
AMPLITUDES
CORRELATIONS
ION DENSITY
PLASMA SHEET
SATELLITES
SCATTERING
SPATIAL DISTRIBUTION
VELOCITY
CHARGED PARTICLES
DISTRIBUTION
EARTH ATMOSPHERE
EARTH MAGNETOSPHERE
FUNCTIONS
INSTABILITY
PLASMA INSTABILITY
PLASMA MICROINSTABILITIES
640201* - Atmospheric Physics- Auroral
Ionospheric
& Magetospheric Phenomena