Neutral sheet crossings in the distant magnetotail
We have analyzed the magnetic field data from ISEE-3 in the distant magnetotail for 18 crossings of the cross-tail current sheet (or so-called natural sheet) to determine the direction of the normal component B/sub z/. The crossings occurred near the middle of the aberrated magnetotail (0 < y < 30 R/sub e, -10 < z < 5) in GSM coordinates, at a distance of about 220 R/sub e/, January 28 to February 12, 1983; in each case the plasma flow velocity was tailward. In 2 cases we found B/sub z/ negative (southward), as would be required with a magnetic neutral line (reconnection line) earthward of the spacecraft. In 12 cases B/sub z/ was clearly northward (B/sub z/ > 0.4 nT), consistent with closed field lines connected to the earth. In 3 cases B/sub z/ was very close to zero; in several instances there was structure in B/sub y/, suggesting localized currents with x or z directions. One may have been a magnetopause crossing. The strong preponderance of northward B/sub z/ favors a model of the magnetotail which is dominated by boundary layer plasma, flowing tailward on closed magnetic field lines, which requires the existence of an electric field in the sense from dusk to dawn. 37 refs., 15 figs., 1 tab.
- Research Organization:
- Texas Univ., Dallas (USA); California Institute of Technology (CalTech), Pasadena, CA (United States). Jet Propulsion Lab. (JPL); Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-36
- OSTI ID:
- 6008460
- Report Number(s):
- LA-UR-86-961; CONF-8510254-5; ON: DE86008742
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: Chapman conference on magnetotail physics, Laurel, MD, USA, 28 Oct 1985; Other Information: Portions of this document are illegible in microfiche products
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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