Plasma waves associated with the first AMPTE magnetotail barium release

Journal Article · Tue Jul 01 04:00:00 EDT 1986 · Geophys. Res. Lett.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/GL013i007p00644· OSTI ID:5491606

Gurnett, D A; Anderson, R R; Bernhardt, P A; Luehr, H; Haerendel, G; Bauer, O H; Koons, H C; Holzworth, R H

Plasma waves observed during the March 21, 1985, AMPTE magnetotail barium release are described. Electron plasma oscillations provided local measurements of the plasma density during both the expansion and decay phases. Immediately after the explosion the electron density reached a peak of about 4 x 10/sup 5/ cm/sup -3/, and then started decreasing approximately as t-italic/sup -2.4/ as the cloud expanded. About 6 minutes after the explosion the electron density suddenly began to increase, reached a secondary peak of about 2.4 x 10/sup 2/ cm/sup -3/, and then slowly decayed down to the pre-event level over a period of about 15 minutes. The density increase is believed to be caused by the collapse of the ion cloud into the diamagnetic cavity created by the initial expansion. The plasma wave intensities observed during the entire event were quite low. In the diamagnetic cavity electrostatic emissions were observed near the barium ion plasma frequency, and in another band at lower frequencies. A broadband burst of electrostatic noise was also observed at the boundary of the diamagnetic cavity. Except for electron plasma oscillations no significant wave activity was observed outside of the diamagnetic cavity.

• Research Organization: Dept. of Physics and Astronomy, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242
• OSTI ID: 5491606
• Journal Information: Geophys. Res. Lett.; (United States), Journal Name: Geophys. Res. Lett.; (United States) Vol. 13:7; ISSN GPRLA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640203* -- Atmospheric Physics-- Magnetospheric Phenomena-- (-1987)
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
ALKALINE EARTH METALS
BARIUM
EARTH ATMOSPHERE
EARTH MAGNETOSPHERE
ELECTRON DENSITY
ELECTRON PLASMA WAVES
ELEMENTS
EXPANSION
MAGNETOTAIL
METALS
PLASMA DENSITY
PLASMA DIAGNOSTICS
PLASMA EXPANSION
PLASMA WAVES