Propagation characteristics of Pc 3 compressional waves generated at the dayside magnetopause

Journal Article · Wed Sep 01 04:00:00 EDT 1993 · Journal of Geophysical Research

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/93JA01322· OSTI ID:86353

Zhang, X; Comfort, R H; Musielak, Z E ^[1]; Moore, T E; Gallagher, D L ^[2]; Green, J L ^[3]

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1. Univ. of Alabama, Huntsville, AL (United States)
2. NASA Marshal Space Flight Center, Huntsville, AL (United States)
3. NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD (United States)

New, three-dimensional ray tracing of Pc 3 compressional waves from the magnetosheath reveals that the magnetosphere can present a major propagation barrier to the penetration of these waves to the plasmasphere. This barrier is the ion-ion cutoff between the He{sup +} and O{sup +} gyroresonances. As a result of the frequency-dependent location of this cutoff, the magnetosphere behaves like a filter for Pc 3 compressional waves, and only low-frequency components of Pc 3 compressional waves can penetrate to inner magnetosphere. Results are in agreement with previous satellite observations. This {open_quotes}filter action{close_quotes} strongly depends on the relative concentration of He{sup +} and O{sup +} and is therefore sensitive to solar and magnetic activity. Ray-tracing results are based on a cold plasma dispersion relation, a semi-empirical model of plasma density, and the Mead-Fairfield magnetic field model. 43 refs., 8 figs.

• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• OSTI ID: 86353
• Journal Information: Journal of Geophysical Research, Journal Name: Journal of Geophysical Research Journal Issue: A9 Vol. 98; ISSN JGREA2; ISSN 0148-0227
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

66 PHYSICS
EARTH MAGNETOSPHERE
MAGNETOSHEATH
MILLI HZ RANGE
PLASMA WAVES
PLASMASPHERE
WAVE PROPAGATION