Plasma waves in the distant magnetotail. Progress report

Technical Report · Mon Mar 01 04:00:00 EST 1976

OSTI ID:7342537

Gurnett, D A; Frank, L A; Lepping, R P

The principal types of plasma waves which occur in the distant magnetotail are identified, and the relationship of these waves to simultaneous plasma and magnetic field measurements made on the same spacecraft is investigated. The observations used in this study are from the IMP-8 spacecraft, which passes through the magnetotail at radial distances ranging from about 23.1 to 46.3 R/sub e/. Three principal types of plasma waves are detected by IMP-8 in the distant magnetotail: broad-band electrostatic noise, whistler-mode magnetic noise bursts, and electrostatic electron cyclotron waves. The electrostatic noise is a broad-band emission which occurs in the frequency range from about 10 Hz to a few kHz, and is the most intense and frequently occurring type of plasma wave detected in the distant magnetotail. This noise is found in regions with large gradients in the magnetic field near the outer boundaries of the plasma sheet and in regions with large plasma flow speeds, directed either toward or away from the earth. The whistler-mode magnetic bursts observed by IMP-8 consist of nearly monochromatic tones which last from a few seconds to a few tens of seconds. These noise bursts occur in the same region as the broad-band electrostatic noise, although much less frequently, and are thought to be associated with regions carrying substantial field-aligned currents. (GRA)

• Research Organization: Iowa Univ., Iowa City (USA). Dept. of Physics and Astronomy
• OSTI ID: 7342537
• Report Number(s): AD-A-023624
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640203* -- Atmospheric Physics-- Magnetospheric Phenomena-- (-1987)
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
CURRENTS
ELECTRIC CURRENTS
ELECTRIC FIELDS
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
FREQUENCY RANGE
HZ RANGE
KHZ RANGE
KHZ RANGE 01-100
MAGNETIC FIELDS
MAGNETOSHEATH
MAGNETOTAIL
NOISE
PLASMA SHEET
PLASMA WAVES
RADIATIONS
RADIO NOISE
RADIOWAVE RADIATION
SOLAR ACTIVITY
SOLAR WIND
WHISTLERS