Plasma and electric field boundaries at high and low altitudes on July 29, 1977

Technical Report · Fri Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1982

OSTI ID:6840354

Fennell, J F; Johnson, R G; Young, D T; Torbert, R B

Hot plasma observations at high and low altitudes were compared. The plasma ion composition at high altitudes outside the plasmasphere was 0+. Heavy ions were also observed at low altitudes outside the plasmasphere. It is shown that at times these ions are found well below the plasmapause inside the plasmasphere. Comparisons of the low altitude plasma and dc electric fields show that the outer limits of the plasmasphere is not always corotating at the low L-shells. The corotation boundary, the estimated plasmapause boundary at the boundary of the inner edge of plasma sheet ions were at the same position. The inner edge of plasma sheet electrons is observed at higher latitudes than the plasmasphere boundary during disturbed times. The inner edge of the plasma sheaths shows a strong dawn to dusk asymmetry. At the same time the inner edge of the ring current and plasma sheath also moves to high latitudes reflecting an apparent inflation of the magnetosphere.

• Research Organization: Aerospace Corp., El Segundo, CA (USA)
• OSTI ID: 6840354
• Report Number(s): NASA-CR-165118
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640203* -- Atmospheric Physics-- Magnetospheric Phenomena-- (-1987)
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
BOUNDARY LAYERS
CHARGED PARTICLES
CONFIGURATION
EARTH ATMOSPHERE
ELECTRIC FIELDS
HEAVY IONS
IONIC COMPOSITION
IONS
LAYERS
MAGNETOSPHERE
MOTION
PLASMASPHERE
ROTATION