Oxygen Charge State Abundance in the Inner Magnetosphere,
Abstract
The CRRES Magnetospheric Ion Composition Sensor (MICS) was used to obtain the relative oxygen charge state abundances in the earth's inner magnetosphere (3 <L < 7.5). These abundances were obtained for average and quiet (Kp < or = 2+, (absolute value of) DST < 11) conditions. They are presented as normalized spectra and compared to the predictions of Spjeldvik and Fritz (1978). These comparisons show that the observed spectra agree best with the Spjeldvik and Fritz predictions that assume an O+ source, at the high L boundary in their model, for oxygen with Q<or= +3 but agree better with their predictions for a solar wind source, O(+6), for oxygen with Q>+3 on average. As expected, O(+) is the dominant oxygen ion at all times in the inner magnetosphere for energies >60 keV/Q. During average conditions the Q > or = +4 ions have fluxes comparable to O(+3) in the L = 4.5 - 7.5 region and are about 50% of the O(+3) fluxes in the L = 3 - 5 regions. Thus, the average O(+3) fluxes appear to represent a transition state between ionospheric and solar wind source oxygen. jg
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 30, 1995
- Accession Number
- ADA293497
Entities
People
- B. Wilken
- James Roeder
- Joseph F. Fennell
- M. Grande
Organizations
- The Aerospace Corporation