Birkeland currents and charged particles in the high-latitude prenoon region: a new interpretation

Technical Report · Thu Nov 17 04:00:00 EST 1988

OSTI ID:6274647

Bythrow, P F; Potemra, T A; Erlandson, R E; Zanetti, L J; Klumpar, D M

Simultaneous, conjugate measurements of magnetic fields and charged particles at low altitude in the high-latitude prenoon sector and the magnetosheath were made with the DMSP F7, HILAT, and Active Magnetospheric Particle Tracer Explorers (AMPTE) CCE satellites. These data show that the low-latitude portion of the traditional cusp particle signature is coincident with the prenoon region 1 current system in both hemispheres and for both northward and southward interplanetary magnetic fields (IMF). The traditional cusp Birkeland currents are associated with the dispersion region of cusp ions when the IMF is directed southward and with electron fluxes that are slightly enhanced over polar rain intensities. Finally, electron spectra measured by AMPTE CCE in the magnetosheath near 1000 MLT are similar in shape and energy to those acquired at low latitude by both DMSP F7 and HILAT. These observations indicate that for both northward and southward IMF, the traditional cusp particle signature is coincident with the region 1 Birkeland current system and maps to low altitude along field lines that thread the dayside boundary layer. The traditional cusp Birkeland current system flows along field lines that lie poleward of the region of cusp particles and the region 1 current system. These field lines thread the plasma mantle. The traditional cusp current system might be appropriately renamed the mantle Birkeland current system.

• Research Organization: Johns Hopkins Univ., Laurel, MD (USA). Applied Physics Lab.
• OSTI ID: 6274647
• Report Number(s): AD-A-201786/1/XAB
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640201* -- Atmospheric Physics-- Auroral
Ionospheric
& Magetospheric Phenomena
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
AURORAE
CHARGED PARTICLES
CURRENTS
EARTH ATMOSPHERE
EARTH MANTLE
ELECTRIC CURRENTS
ELECTRON SPECTROSCOPY
INTERPLANETARY SPACE
IONOSPHERE
IONS
MAGNETIC FIELDS
MAGNETOSHEATH
MAPS
PARTICLES
PLANETARY IONOSPHERES
POLAR REGIONS
RING CURRENTS
SPACE
SPECTROSCOPY