Waves and electric fields associated with the December 27, 1984, artificial comet. Progress report

Technical Report · Wed Nov 27 04:00:00 EST 1985

OSTI ID:5974990

Gurnett, D A; Ma, T Z; Anderson, R R; Haerendel, G; Paschmann, G

A variety of plasma-wave and electric-field effects were observed during the AMPTE (Active Magnetospheric Particle Tracer Explorers) solar-wind barium release. Electron plasma oscillations at the local electron plasma frequency provided measurements of the electron density during the entire event. A static electric field of about 1 to 2 mVolt/m was detected in the diamagnetic cavity. This electric field is in the same direction as the solar wind electric field, suggesting that polarization charges in the ion cloud are not effective at shielding out an external electric field. As the spacecraft passed through the boundary of the diamagnetic cavity, a region of compressed plasma and magnetic field was detected upstream of the ion cloud. This region of compressed plasma is believed to be caused by solar wind plasma and magnetic field lines draped around the noise of the ion cloud. Inside the diamagnetic cavity electrostatic emissions were observed in a narrow band centered on the barium ion plasma frequency and in another band at lower frequencies. These waves are believed to be short wavelength ion acoustic waves. Bursts of electrostatic waves were also observed at the boundaries of the diamagnetic cavity, apparently caused by an electron drift current along the boundary.

• Research Organization: Iowa Univ., Iowa City (USA). Dept. of Physics and Astronomy
• OSTI ID: 5974990
• Report Number(s): AD-A-163409/6/XAB
• 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
CAVITIES
CHARGED PARTICLES
CLOUDS
DIAMAGNETISM
EARTH ATMOSPHERE
EARTH MAGNETOSPHERE
ELECTRIC FIELDS
ELECTRON DENSITY
ELECTRONS
ELECTROSTATICS
ELEMENTARY PARTICLES
ELEMENTS
EMISSION SPECTRA
FERMIONS
INTERACTIONS
ION SOURCES
IONS
LEPTONS
MAGNETIC FIELDS
MAGNETISM
METALS
PLASMA WAVES
SOLAR ACTIVITY
SOLAR WIND
SPECTRA