Giacobini-Zinner magnetotail: Tail configuration and current sheet
Journal Article
·
· J. Geophys. Res.; (United States)
The high-resolution plasma electron and magnetic field data sets from the ICE tail traversal of comet Giacobini-Zinner have been combined to make a detailed study of the draped Giacobini-Zinner magnetotail in general, and its field-reversing current sheet in particular. The goemetry of the magnetotail at the time of the ICE crossing is determined and is shown to be consistent with a circular tail cross section rotated 10.5 in the normal sense of aberration and 9.9/sup 0/ above the ecliptic plane, bisected by a cross-tail current sheet which is rotated 43/sup 0/ out of the ecliptic about the solar wind velocity vector. MHD continuity, momentum, and energy equations are combined with the plasma and field observations to determine unmeasured plasma properties at ICE and upstream at the average point along each stream-line where the cometary ions are picked up. The ion temperature, beta, and flow speed at ICE range from 1--1.5 x 10/sup 6/ K, 1--4, and --20 to --30 km s/sup -1/, respectively, in the draped lobes to --1.2 x 10/sup 5/ K, up to --40, and ----20 km s/sup -1/ in the current sheet. Upstream at the average pickup locations, the flow velocity, ion temperature, density, and ion source rates range from ----75 km s/sup -1/, --4. x 10/sup 6/ K, --20 cm/sup -3/, and --1.5 cm/sup -3/ s/sup -1/ in the regions upstream from the lobes to ---12 km s/sup -1/, --1 x 10/sup 5/ K, 200--600 cm/sup -3/, and --3.6 cm/sup -3/ s/sup -1/ in the prime mass-loading region upstream from the current sheet.
- Research Organization:
- Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico
- OSTI ID:
- 6836335
- Journal Information:
- J. Geophys. Res.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Geophys. Res.; (United States) Vol. 92:A2; ISSN JGREA
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
The P/Giacobini-Zinner magnetotail
The comet Giacobini-Zinner magnetotail: Axial stresses and inferred near-nucleus properties
Field reversing magnetotail current sheets: earth, Venus, and Comet Giacobini-Zinner
Conference
·
Tue Dec 31 23:00:00 EST 1985
·
OSTI ID:6913369
The comet Giacobini-Zinner magnetotail: Axial stresses and inferred near-nucleus properties
Conference
·
Wed Oct 01 00:00:00 EDT 1986
·
OSTI ID:6961235
Field reversing magnetotail current sheets: earth, Venus, and Comet Giacobini-Zinner
Technical Report
·
Mon Sep 01 00:00:00 EDT 1986
·
OSTI ID:6984293