Detection of bump-on-tail reduced electron velocity distributions at the electron foreshock boundary

Journal Article · Tue May 01 04:00:00 EDT 1984 · Geophys. Res. Lett.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/GL011i005p00496· OSTI ID:6468345

Fitzenreiter, R J; Klimas, A J; Scudder, J D

Reduced velocity distributions are derived from three-dimensional measurements of the velocity distribution of electrons in the 7-500 eV range in the electron foreshock. Bump-on-tail reduced distributions are presented for the first time at the foreshock boundary consistent with Filbert and Kellogg's proposed time-of-flight mechanism for generating the electron beams. In a significant number of boundary crossings, bump-on-tail reduced distributions were found in consecutive 3 sec measurements made 9 sec apart. We conclude that, although the beams are linearly unstable to plasma waves according to the Penrose criterion, they persist on a time scale of 3-15 sec.

• Research Organization: NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center, Laboratory for Extraterrestrial Physics
• OSTI ID: 6468345
• Journal Information: Geophys. Res. Lett.; (United States), Journal Name: Geophys. Res. Lett.; (United States) Vol. 11:5; ISSN GPRLA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640203* -- Atmospheric Physics-- Magnetospheric Phenomena-- (-1987)
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
BEAMS
BUMP-IN-TAIL INSTABILITY
DISTRIBUTION FUNCTIONS
EARTH ATMOSPHERE
ELECTRON BEAMS
FUNCTIONS
INSTABILITY
LEPTON BEAMS
MAGNETOSPHERE
PARTICLE BEAMS
PLASMA INSTABILITY
PLASMA MICROINSTABILITIES
PLASMA WAVES
SOLAR ACTIVITY
SOLAR WIND