Thermalization of Colliding Ion Streams Beyond the Plasmapause.
Abstract
On field lines that are closed, oppositely directed plasma flows analogous to the polar wind can originate from conjugate regions of the ionosphere and encounter each other near the equatorial plane. For a background plasma of sufficiently low equatorial density (N sub 0 < or = 20/cc), thermalization of the two streams can occur through the excitation of unstable ion waves. At higher densities (N sub O > or = 20/cc) thermalization occurs via Coulomb collision. These flows, together with the complementary thermalization mechanisms, constitute a rapid means of replenishing the plasmasphere (d(N sub O)/dt about 10/cc-hr) during the recovery phase of a magnetic storm. Beyond the quiet-day plasmapause location, the conditions for two-stream instability appear to be present continuously, since the counter-streaming plasmas are simultaneously convected to the magnetospheric boundary. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 15, 1971
- Accession Number
- AD0734034
Entities
People
- Harry C. Koons
- Michael Schulz
Organizations
- The Aerospace Corporation