On the cause of thin current sheets in the near-Earth magnetotail and their possible significance for magnetospheric substorms

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

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/93JA01047· OSTI ID:86359

Schindler, K ^[1]; Birn, J ^[2]

---

1. Ruhr-Universitaet Bochum (Germany)
2. Los Alamos National Lab., NM (United States)

The formation of thin current sheets in the near-Earth magnetotail during substorm growth phases is addressed in terms of a simple model. An appropriate part of the unperturbed magnetotail is represented by a plane sheet model. Perturbations are applied to the upper and to the left boundaries, representing the magnetopause and the near-Earth tail boundary, where the perturbation at the latter models the interaction between the tail and the inner magnetosphere. Treating the perturbation as ideal (dissipation-free), the authors found that singular current sheets develop in the midplane of the tail. The analytical results are explored numerically. Using realistic dimensions of the domain considered, the influence of the earthward boundary on current sheet formation dominates. It is argued that current sheet formation of this type plays an important role in the processes associated with the onset of magnetospheric substorms. 38 refs., 6 figs.

• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• OSTI ID: 86359
• 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
ELECTRIC CURRENTS
MAGNETIC STORMS
MAGNETOTAIL
NUMERICAL SOLUTION
PLASMA SHEET