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Title: Wave properties near the subsolar magnetopause: Pc 3-4 energy coupling for northward interplanetary magnetic field

Journal Article · · Journal of Geophysical Research; (United States)
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/92JA01534· OSTI ID:7061665
 [1]; ;  [2]; ;  [3];  [4];  [5]
  1. Institute of Geophysics and Planetary Physics, Los Angeles, CA (United States) National Center for Atmospheric Research, Boulder, CO (United States)
  2. Institute of Geophysics and Planetary Physics, Los Angeles, CA (United States)
  3. Univ. of California, Berkeley (United States)
  4. NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD (United States)
  5. Univ. of Iowa, Iowa City (United States)

Strong slow mode waves in the Pc 3-4 frequency range are found in the magnetosheath close to the magnetopause. We have studied them waves at one of the ISEE subsolar magnetopause crossings using the magnetic field, electric field, and plasma measurements. We use the pressure balance at the magnetopause to calibrate the Fast Plasma Experiment data versus the magnetometer data. When we perform such a calibration and renormalization, we find that the slow mode structures are not in pressure balance and small scale fluctuations in the total pressure still remain in the Pc 34 range. Energy in the total pressure fluctuations can be transmitted through the magnetopause by boundary motions. The Poynting flux calculated from the electric and magnetic field measurements suggests that a net Poynting flux is transmitted into the magnetopause. The two independent measurements show a similar energy transmission coefficient. The transmitted energy flux is about 18% of the magnetic energy flux of the waves in the magnetosheath. Part of this transmitted energy is lost in tbe sheath transition layer before it enters the closed field line region. The waves reaching the boundary layer decay rapidly. Little wave power is transmitted into the magnetosphere. 36 refs., 12 figs., 1 tab.

OSTI ID:
7061665
Journal Information:
Journal of Geophysical Research; (United States), Vol. 98:A1; ISSN 0148-0227
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English