LOW FREQUENCY INTERCHANGE INSTABILITIES OF THE RING CURRENT BELT,
Abstract
The stability of the ring current belt against low-frequency, electrostatic perturbations is analyzed, with the effect of a finite electric field along the magnetic line of force included. We find four possible instabilities--the hydromagnetic interchange, the trapping instability, the low-frequency flute mode, and the resonant interchange; the conditions for their occurrence in the ring current belt are derived. Due to the parallel electric field associated with the instabilities, their main consequence is to precipitate charged particles into the ionosphere, leading to ring current pressure relaxation. Their possible relevance to observations is discussed. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 1969
- Accession Number
- AD0681724
Entities
People
- C. S. Liu
Organizations
- University of California, Los Angeles