Current carriers in the near-earth cross-tail current sheet during substorm growth phase

Journal Article · Sun Apr 01 04:00:00 UTC 1990 · Geophysical Research Letters (American Geophysical Union); (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/GL017i005p00583· OSTI ID:6514324

Mitchell, D G; Williams, D J ^[1]; Huang, C Y; Frank, L A ^[2]; Russell, C T ^[3]

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1. Johns Hopkins Univ., Baltimore, MD (USA)
2. Univ. of Iowa, Iowa City (USA)
3. Univ. of California, Los Angeles (USA)

Throughout most of the growth phase of a substorm, the cross-tail current at x {approximately} {minus}10 R{sub e} can be supplied by the curvature drift of a bi-directional field aligned distribution of {approximately} 1 keV electrons. Just prior to its local disruption after substorm onset, the cross-tail current in the now thin ({approximately}400 km) current sheet is carried by the cross-tail serpentine motion of non-adiabatic ions. The instability of this latter current leads to the local disruption of the near-earth current sheet.

• OSTI ID: 6514324
• Journal Information: Geophysical Research Letters (American Geophysical Union); (USA), Journal Name: Geophysical Research Letters (American Geophysical Union); (USA) Vol. 17:5; ISSN GPRLA; ISSN 0094-8276
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640201* -- Atmospheric Physics-- Auroral
Ionospheric
& Magetospheric Phenomena
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
ADIABATIC PROCESSES
CHARGE CARRIERS
COLLISIONLESS PLASMA
CURRENTS
DYNAMICS
EARTH ATMOSPHERE
EARTH MAGNETOSPHERE
ELECTRIC CURRENTS
MAGNETIC BAYS
MAGNETIC FLUX
MAGNETOTAIL
MECHANICS
PLASMA
PLASMA DRIFT
PLASMA SHEET
SATELLITES