Electric Fields in Earth Orbital Space.
Abstract
Work accomplished during the past year is reported. We have determined conclusively that a fraction of the magnetosheath plasma routinely has access to the magnetosphere. This entry occurs preferentially along the flanks of the tail and on the polar side of the dayside cusp regions. This entry occurs in the steady state and is responsible for the maintenance of several current state magnetic features. We have continued our involvement with the magnetospheric CDAWS, and have now constructed event models of the magnetic and electric fields for 3 epochs. Our magnetic field models adequately represent the magnetic field over the dayside magnetosphere. However, near midnight at geosynchronous orbit and in the near tail region, there is a large discrepancy between observation and model predictions. We believe that this is caused by the current neglect in the models of the closure of the Birkeland Region 2 currents in the vicinity of the inner edge of the plasma sheet. We have also developed procedures for the mapping of electric fields along magnetic field lines when time varying magnetic fields (and an induced component of the electric field) are present. These procedures are being tested with STARE and GEOS-2 data. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- May 01, 1983
- Accession Number
- ADA129842
Entities
People
- K. A. Pfitzer
- W. P. Olson