Relevance of southward magnetic fields in the neutral sheet to anisotropic distribution of energetic electrons and substorm activity

Journal Article · Mon Oct 01 04:00:00 EDT 1979 · J. Geophys. Res.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/JA084iA10p05817· OSTI ID:5631189

Lui, A T.Y.; Meng, C

The implications of southward magnetic fields at the magnetotail neutral sheet to the development of streaming anisotropy of energetic electrons and magnetospheric substorm activity are examined. Magnetic field and energetic particle measurements from the Imp 6 spacecraft, the AE index, and global auroral images from DMSP spacecraft are utilized in this study. Criteria are developed to identify events of southward magnetic fields at the neutral sheet which imply the presence of X-type magnetic neutral lines. Several features of the observations suggest that the southward magnetic fields and the implied X-type neutral lines are associated with magnetic bubbles in the neutral sheet region. It is found that the signatures of magnetic bubbles are sometimes detected in association with tailward streaming and flux enhancement of energetic electrons (47 keV

• Research Organization: Applied Physics Laboratory, Johns Hopkins University, Laurel, Maryland 20810
• OSTI ID: 5631189
• Journal Information: J. Geophys. Res.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Geophys. Res.; (United States) Vol. 84:A10; ISSN JGREA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640203* -- Atmospheric Physics-- Magnetospheric Phenomena-- (-1987)
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
ACCELERATION
DISTRIBUTION FUNCTIONS
ELECTRON DRIFT
MAGNETIC BAYS
MAGNETIC FIELD CONFIGURATIONS
MAGNETOTAIL
PLASMA ACCELERATION
PLASMASPHERE