Periodic Substorm Activity in the Geomagnetic Tail.
Abstract
On 19 May 1978 an unusual series of events is observed with the Quadrispherical LEPEDEA on board the ISEE-1 satellite in the earth's geomagnetic tail. For 13 hours periodic of both bursts of both ions and electrons are seen in all the particle detectors on the spacecraft. On this day periodic activity is also seen on the ground, where multiple intesifications of the electrojets are observed. At the same time the latitudinal component of the interplanetary magnetic field shows a number of strong southward deflections. We conclude that an extended period of substorm activity is occurring, which causes repeated thinnings and recoveries of the plasma sheet. These are detected by ISEE, which is situated in the plasma sheet boundary layer, as periodic dropouts and reappearances of the plasma. Comparisons of the observations at ISEE with those at IMP-8, which for a time is engulfed by the plasma sheet, indicate that the activity is relatively localized in spatial extent. For this series of events it is clear that a global approach to magnetospheric dynamics, e.g., reconnection, is inappropriate. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Feb 01, 1983
- Accession Number
- ADA126412
Entities
People
- C. Y. Huang
- D. J. Williams
- Louis A. Frank
- T. E. Eastman
Organizations
- University of Iowa