Distribution function of continuously created newborn and pickup ions in outer cometary exospheres

Journal Article · Sat Jul 01 00:00:00 EDT 1989 · Journal of Geophysical Research; (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/JA094iA07p08685· OSTI ID:5833360

Gaffey, Jr, J D; Wu, C S ^[1]

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1. Univ. of Maryland, College Park (USA)

The time evolution of the distribution function of newborn ions in the solar wind is investigated within the context of a quasilinear theory in which the level of intrinsic turbulence is assumed to be moderate and known. The initial distribution is taken to be a ring beam, which is approximated by delta functions in pitch angle and velocity, and it is assumed that the ions are created at a constant rate with a similar distribution. The long-time asymptotic form of the distribution is obtained. This distribution is a mixture of ions created recently and ions generated throughout the entire process. The results obtained in the present analysis are found to be in good agreement with recent satellite observations. The time asymptotic distribution is also found to be unstable to low-frequency hydromagnetic waves propagating parallel to the ambient magnetic field.

• OSTI ID: 5833360
• Journal Information: Journal of Geophysical Research; (USA), Vol. 94:A7; ISSN 0148-0227
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
COMETS
SOLAR WIND
INTERACTIONS
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
DATA ANALYSIS
DISTRIBUTION FUNCTIONS
HYDROMAGNETIC WAVES
IONS
MAGNETIC FIELDS
QUASILINEAR PROBLEMS
TIME DEPENDENCE
TURBULENCE
WAVE PROPAGATION
CHARGED PARTICLES
FUNCTIONS
SOLAR ACTIVITY
640107* - Astrophysics & Cosmology- Planetary Phenomena