Average plasma and magnetic field variations in the distant magnetotail associated with near-earth substorm effects

Journal Article · Thu Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1987 · J. Geophys. Res.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/JA092iA01p00071· OSTI ID:6925829

Baker, D N; Anderson, R C; Zwickl, R D; Slavin, J A

Examination of many individual event periods in the ISEE 3 deep tail data set collected in 1982--1983 has suggested that magnetospheric substorms produce a characteristic pattern of effects in the distant magnetotail. ISEE 3 data are appropriate for the study of these effects, since the spacraft remained relatively fixed within the nominal tail location for long periods. Using auroral electrojet indices (AE and AL) and geostationary orbit particle data to time substorm onsets at earth, we have performed superposed epoch analyses of ISEE 3 and near-earth data prior to and following substorm expansive phase onsets. Individual events illustrate the wide range of variations possible throughout the magnetosphere, while epoch-averaged results illustrate the general properties of the deep tail pattern of response to global substorm-induced dynamical effects. During the growth, or tail energy storage, phase of substorms the distant magnetotail appears to grow diametrically in size, often by many earth radii. Subsequently, about 20--40 min after the substorm expansive phase onset at earth the distant tail undergoes a repeatable sequence of plasma, field, and energetic particle variations as large-scale plasmoids move rapidly down the tail following their disconnection from the near-earth plasma sheet.

• Research Organization: Los Alamos National Laboratory, University of California, Los Alamos, New Mexico
• OSTI ID: 6925829
• Journal Information: J. Geophys. Res.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Geophys. Res.; (United States) Vol. 92:A1; ISSN JGREA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640201* -- Atmospheric Physics-- Auroral
Ionospheric
& Magetospheric Phenomena
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
EARTH ATMOSPHERE
EARTH MAGNETOSPHERE
EXPANSION
EXPLORER SATELLITES
GEOMAGNETIC FIELD
MAGNETIC BAYS
MAGNETIC FIELDS
MAGNETOTAIL
PLASMA EXPANSION
PLASMA SHEET
PLASMOIDS
SATELLITES