Shaping of the magnetotail from the mantle: Global and local structuring

Journal Article · Thu Apr 01 04:00:00 EST 1993 · Journal of Geophysical Research; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/92JA01662· OSTI ID:6772213

Ashour-Abdalla, M; Berchem, J P; Buechner, J; Zelenyi, L M ^[1]

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1. Univ. of California, Los Angeles (United States)

The authors discuss modeling work done on magnetotail formation from a plasma mantle source. This work develops a unified view of the central part of the magnetotail plasma sheet and its boundary layer. The Tsyganenko magnetic field model, which describes quiet periods of magnetospheric activity, is used to trace trajectories of mantle protons in the presence of a uniform dawn-dusk electric field. The trajectory prior to the first interaction with the sharp reversal of the magnetic field in the tail midplane is the most important, because this interaction couples energy to the particle, as well as scatters it. The location of this interaction with respect to the X line, as well as its position in the tail are important factors in the energy gain and scattering. The energy gain and scattering of the protons results in a major change in both the spatial and velocity distribution functions of these particles. The authors can then model the global development of the magnetotail from their model. The model correctly reproduces the spatial and velocity distributions of the fast ions, both those moving earthward and tailward in the plasma sheet boundary layer. It also indicates these should be highly structured physically. Model results are compared with recent ion measurements made in the magnetotail, as well as with previous models which have been much simpler in structure.

• OSTI ID: 6772213
• Journal Information: Journal of Geophysical Research; (United States), Journal Name: Journal of Geophysical Research; (United States) Vol. 98:A4; ISSN JGREA2; ISSN 0148-0227
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

661320* -- Auroral
Ionospheric
& Magnetospheric Phenomena-- (1992-)
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
AMPLIFICATION
BARYONS
BOUNDARY LAYERS
CHARGED PARTICLES
DISTRIBUTION FUNCTIONS
EARTH ATMOSPHERE
EARTH MAGNETOSPHERE
ELEMENTARY PARTICLES
ENERGY
FERMIONS
FUNCTIONS
GAIN
HADRONS
IONS
LAYERS
MAGNETIC FIELDS
MAGNETOTAIL
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
NUCLEONS
ORIGIN
PLASMA
PLASMA SHEET
PROTONS
SCATTERING
TRAJECTORIES