Terrestrial plasma source - a new perspective in solar-terrestrial processes from Dynamics Explorer

Journal Article · Sun May 01 04:00:00 EDT 1988 · Rev. Geophys. Space Phys.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/RG026i002p00229· OSTI ID:7050311

Chappell, C R

The geospace environment has been viewed as a mixing bowl for plasmas of both solar and terrestrial origin. The present perspective on the nature of the supply mechanisms has undergone a radical evolution over the past decade, particularly during the five years of the Dynamics Explorer mission. During this period, the terrestrial source has increased in importance in both magnitude and character of ionospheric outflow. These outflows include the classical polar wind, the cleft ion fountain, the auroral ion fountain, and the polar cap. The earth can be envisioned as a multifaceted fountain which ejects particles from different spatial locations spread around the globe. These particles exhibit a range of masses from 1 to 32 amu and a range of energies from 1 eV to 10 keV. The total flux of this ionospheric outflow is very large: adequate to supply the entire magnetospheric particle population. And the implications of the outflow are significant across a broad spectrum of solar-terrestrial processes ranging from sources of magnetospheric plasmas, to influences on ionospheric density and temperature structure, to energy transfer in phenomena such as stable auroral red arcs. The Dynamics Explorer mission has made a major contribution in the characterization of the terrestrial plasma source. 60 references.

• Research Organization: NASA, Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, AL (USA)
• OSTI ID: 7050311
• Journal Information: Rev. Geophys. Space Phys.; (United States), Journal Name: Rev. Geophys. Space Phys.; (United States) Vol. 26; ISSN RGPSB
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640201* -- Atmospheric Physics-- Auroral
Ionospheric
& Magetospheric Phenomena
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
AURORAL ZONES
EARTH ATMOSPHERE
EARTH MAGNETOSPHERE
ENERGY TRANSFER
EXPLORER SATELLITES
ION DENSITY
IONOSPHERE
ORIGIN
PLANETARY IONOSPHERES
PLASMA
SATELLITES
SOLAR ACTIVITY
SOLAR WIND