A Model for an Electromotive Force Generator in the Magnetosphere: A Source of Discrete Auroral Arcs,

Abstract

We present results obtained from solving Maxwell's and Vlasov's equations to obtain the electrical structure of the sheath which separates magnetospheric particle populations of different densities and temperatures. It is shown that for reasonable magnetospheric plasma populations an electric potential difference of several kilovolts exists across such a boundary. This potential can serve as the necessary EMF for the auroral current circuit. Ths colocation between a magnetospheric plasma boundary and a discrete aurora is a natural consequence of this picture.

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
May 01, 1987
Accession Number
ADP005694

Entities

People

  • D. S. Evans
  • J. Lemaire
  • Michael Roth

Organizations

  • National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Tags

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Aerospace Environments
  • Altitude
  • Boundaries
  • Electromagnetic Wave Propagation
  • Environment
  • Equations
  • Generators
  • High Altitude
  • Magnetosphere
  • Netherlands
  • Particles
  • Spacecraft
  • Spacecraft Charging
  • Voltage
  • Wave Propagation

Readers

  • Plasma Physics / Magnetohydrodynamics
  • Space/Atmospheric Physics.