Ion-release experiments in the solar wind

Technical Report · Tue Oct 01 04:00:00 EDT 1985

OSTI ID:5658310

Bryant, D A

In a new departure in experimental space plasma physics, lithium and barium plasmas were injected into the solar wind approximately 110,000 km above the Earth's surface. The effects, monitored in-situ by two spacecraft of the AMPTE (Active Magnetospheric Particle Tracer Explorers) mission, included the formation of diamagnetic cavities, a slowing down locally of the solar wind, generation of plasma waves, and heating of solar-wind electrons. These comet-like interactions between the solar wind and obstacles presented by the injected plasmas are discussed and compared with the effect of the natural obstacle of the Earth's magnetosphere first encountered by the solar wind at the bow shock. Particular reference is made to the artifical comet created by a barium-ion release on 27 December 1984.

• Research Organization: Rutherford Appleton Lab., Chilton (UK)
• OSTI ID: 5658310
• Report Number(s): PB-86-180643/XAB; RAL-85-094
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640104* -- Astrophysics & Cosmology-- Solar Phenomena
640203 -- Atmospheric Physics-- Magnetospheric Phenomena-- (-1987)
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
BARIUM IONS
CHARGED PARTICLES
CHARGED-PARTICLE REACTIONS
COLLISIONS
EARTH ATMOSPHERE
EARTH MAGNETOSPHERE
IONS
LITHIUM IONS
NUCLEAR REACTIONS
PLASMA WAVES
PRODUCTION
SOLAR ACTIVITY
SOLAR WIND