Modeling the growth phase of a substorm using the Tsyganenko model and multi-spacecraft observations: CDAW-9

Journal Article · Fri Nov 01 04:00:00 EST 1991 · Geophysical Research Letters (American Geophysical Union); (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/91GL02002· OSTI ID:7049207

Pulkkinen, T I ^[1]; Baker, D N; Fairfield, D H ^[2]; Pellinen, R J ^[3]; Murphree, J S; Elphinstone, R D ^[4]; McPherron, R L ^[5]; Fennell, J F ^[6]; Lopez, R E ^[7]; Nagai, T ^[8]

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1. NASA/GSFC, Greenbelt, MD (United States) Finnish Meteorological Inst., Helsinki (Finland)
2. NASA/GSFC, Greenbelt, MD (United States)
3. Finnish Meteorological Inst., Helsinki (Finland)
4. Univ. of Calgary, Alberta (Canada)
5. Univ. of California, Los Angeles (United States)
6. Aerospace Corp., El Segundo, CA (United States)
7. Applied Research Corp., Landover, MD (United States)
8. Japan Meteorological Agency, Tokyo (Japan)

The CDAW-9 Event C focused upon the early part of 3 May 1986 when a large substorm onset occurred at 0111 UT. By modifying the Tsyganenko 1989 magnetic field model, the authors construct a model in which the near-Earth current systems are enhanced with time to describe the observed development of the tail magnetic field during the growth phase. The cross-tail current intensity and the thickness of the current sheet are determined by comparison with three spacecraft in the near-Earth tail. The location of the auroral bulge as recorded by the Viking imager is mapped to the equatorial current sheet. The degree of chaotization of the thermal electrons is estimated, and the consequences to the tail stability towards ion tearing are discussed. The authors conclude that the mapping of the brightening region in the auroral oval corresponds to the regions in the tail where the current sheet may be unstable towards ion tearing.

• OSTI ID: 7049207
• Journal Information: Geophysical Research Letters (American Geophysical Union); (United States), Journal Name: Geophysical Research Letters (American Geophysical Union); (United States) Vol. 18:11; ISSN 0094-8276; ISSN GPRLA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

661320* -- Auroral
Ionospheric
& Magnetospheric Phenomena-- (1992-)
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
AURORAL OVAL
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
CURRENTS
DIMENSIONS
EARTH ATMOSPHERE
EARTH MAGNETOSPHERE
ELECTRIC CURRENTS
ELECTRONS
ELEMENTARY PARTICLES
EVALUATION
FERMIONS
INSTABILITY
LEPTONS
MAGNETIC BAYS
MAGNETOTAIL
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
PLASMA INSTABILITY
PLASMA MACROINSTABILITIES
SATELLITES
TEARING INSTABILITY
THICKNESS