SOLAR ELECTRON ACCESS TO CLOSED FIELD LINES,
Abstract
Solar electron fluxes, by virtue of their spectra, pitch-angle distributions, and temporal and spatial behavior, are used as test particles in investigating the quasi-trapping region of the geomagnetosphere. A number of features of these fluxes are demonstrated using data from magnetic electron spectrometers on the polar-elliptical orbiting satellite OV1-19 (1969-25C) during the period 12 April to 17 April 1969. The results indicate that although the particles are readily injected onto closed field lines, inward radial diffusion is slow compared with longitudinal drift and electrons do not become stably trapped in significant quantities unless the diffusion mechanism is an energy-dependent one in which low energy particles are preferentially diffused inward. Sharp persistent gradients between the quasi-trapped zone and the polar plateau (a region of uniform isotropic fluxes) are regarded as indicating there is an abrupt transition between a region of the geomagnetic field which consists entirely of closed field lines (i.e., permit conjugate point mirroring), and a second region in which the field lines either connect directly to the interplanetary field or extend into a tail which is very turbulent on the scale of the gyro-radius of .1 to 2 MeV electrons. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Aug 15, 1970
- Accession Number
- AD0712045
Entities
People
- Alfred L. Vampola
Organizations
- The Aerospace Corporation