Skip to main content
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Ionospheric ions in the near earth geomagnetic tail plasma lobes

Journal Article · · Geophys. Res. Lett.; (United States)
By comparing data from the plasma experiment on ISEE-2 from the ion composition experiment on ISEE-1, composition and plasma properties of tailward flowing ions in the magnetotail lobes are assessed, in the 50 eV/Z to 11 keV/Z energy range. This population consists mainly of singly charged oxygen ions, with H/sup +/ ions contributing in general less than 10%, flowing roughly along magnetic field lines. Hence, it is concluded that these ions are of mainly ionospheric origin. They are detected only during magnetically disturbed periods. Estimates of the E/sub z/ electric field components in the lobes are given.
Research Organization:
Istituto di Fisica dello Spazio Interplanetario, CNR, Frascati, Italy
OSTI ID:
5526203
Journal Information:
Geophys. Res. Lett.; (United States), Journal Name: Geophys. Res. Lett.; (United States) Vol. 9:2; ISSN GPRLA
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

Similar Records

Structure of the plasma sheet-lobe boundary in the earth's magnetotail
Journal Article · Wed Feb 29 23:00:00 EST 1984 · J. Geophys. Res.; (United States) · OSTI ID:6468214

Cold streams of ionospheric oxygen in the plasma sheet during the CDAW 6 event of March 22, 1979
Journal Article · Wed May 01 00:00:00 EDT 1985 · J. Geophys. Res.; (United States) · OSTI ID:6098783

Injection of ionospheric ions into the plasma sheet
Journal Article · Fri Jun 01 00:00:00 EDT 1990 · Journal of Geophysical Research; (United States) · OSTI ID:5268516