Boundary layers as the primary transport regions of the earth's magnetotail

Journal Article · Tue Oct 01 04:00:00 EDT 1985 · J. Geophys. Res.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/JA090iA10p09541· OSTI ID:6389458

Eastman, T E; Frank, L A; Huang, C Y

A comprehensive survey of ISEE and IMP LEPEDEA plasma measurements in the earth's magnetotail reveals that the magnetospheric boundary layer and the plasma sheet boundary layer are the primary transport regions there. These plasma measurements also distinguish various components of the plasma sheet, including the central plasma sheet and plasma sheet boundary layer. A significant new result reported here is the existence of cold-and hot-plasma components that are spatially copresent within the central plasma sheet. Such plasma components cannot be explained merely by temporal variations in spectra involving the entire plasma sheet. Contributions to a low-temperature component of the plasma sheet enter directly from the boundary layer located along the magnetotail flanks. Field-aligned flows predominate within the plasma sheet boundary layer, which is almost always present and is located near the northern and southern border of the plasma sheet. The plasma sheet boundary layer comprises highly anisotropic ion distributions, including counteracting ion beams, that evolve into the hot, isotropic component of the plasma sheet.

• Research Organization: Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Iowa, Iowa City
• OSTI ID: 6389458
• Journal Information: J. Geophys. Res.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Geophys. Res.; (United States) Vol. 90: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
BEAMS
BOUNDARY LAYERS
COLD PLASMA
EARTH ATMOSPHERE
EARTH MAGNETOSPHERE
EXPLORER SATELLITES
HOT PLASMA
IMP SATELLITES
ION BEAMS
LAYERS
MAGNETOTAIL
PLASMA
PLASMA ACCELERATION
PLASMA SHEET
SATELLITES