The behavior of the plasmapause at mid-latitudes: Isis 1 Langmuir probe measurements

Brace, L. H.; Theis, R. F.

doi:10.1029/ja079i013p01871

Cited by 89 publications

(32 citation statements)

References 36 publications

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“…The RMSE of the overall fit is 0.47 R E . Brace et al (1974) also found a circularly shaped PP based on in situ electron density measurements of the ISIS1 satellite at about 3000 km altitude, i.e. at the bottomside of the plasmasphere.…”

Section: Correlation Analysismentioning

confidence: 65%

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New plasmapause model derived from CHAMP field-aligned current signatures

Heilig

Lühr

2013

Ann. Geophys.

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We introduce a new model for the plasmapause location in the equatorial plane. The determination of the L-shell bounding the plasmasphere is based on magnetic field observations made by the CHAMP satellite in the topside ionosphere. Related signals are medium-scale field-aligned currents (MSFAC) (some 10 km scale size). The mid-latitude boundary of these MSFACs is used for determining the plasmapause. We are presenting a procedure for detecting the MSFAC boundary. Reliable L-values are obtained on the night side, whenever the solar zenith angle is below 90°. This means, the boundary is not determined well in the 08:00 to 16:00 magnetic local time (MLT) sector. The radial distance of the boundary is closely controlled by the magnetic activity index Kp. Over the Kp range 0 to 9, the L-value varies from 6 to 2 R_E. Conversely, the dependence on solar flux is insignificant. For a fixed Kp level, the obtained L-values of the boundary form a ring on an MLT dial plot with a centre somewhat offset from the geomagnetic pole. This Kp and local time dependent feature is used for predicting the location of the MSFAC boundary at all MLTs based on a single L-value determination by CHAMP. We compared the location of the MSFAC boundary during the years 2001–2002 with the L-value of the plasmapause, determined from in situ observations by the IMAGE spacecraft. The mean difference in radial distance is within a 1 R_E range for all local times and Kp values. The plasmapause is generally found earthward of the FAC boundary, except for the duskside. By considering this systematic displacement and by taking into account the diurnal variation and Kp-dependence of the residuals, we are able to construct an empirical model of the plasmapause location that is based on MSFAC measurements from CHAMP. Our new model PPCH-2012 agrees with IMAGE in situ observations within a standard deviation of 0.79 R_E

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Section: Correlation Analysismentioning

confidence: 65%

“…The formation of the duskside bulge is limited to low latitudes (e.g. Brace et al, 1974). As discussed be- fore, at mid-latitudes the L-shell coinciding with the PP position hardly depends on local time; here the bulge is missing.…”

Section: Annmentioning

confidence: 90%

New plasmapause model derived from CHAMP field-aligned current signatures

Heilig

Lühr

2013

Ann. Geophys.

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“…5 should be the location of Goose Bay as an auroral s t a t i o n or a trough station depending on magnetic conditions ( Buchau , et a l . , 1978) -However, the occurrence p r o b a b i l i t i e s of the main trough quoted in the l i t e r a t u r e vary widely due to differences in the altitude of the observa tions , the experimental da ta resolution obtained and Brace and Theis , 1974 ;Feinblum and Ilor an , 1973;Halcrow , 1976; Mendillo and Chacko , 1977;A hined et al, 1979) . It is therefore not possible to unravel the complex depend~nce s embodie d in figure 2.5 by accounting for the trough on a statstical basis.…”

Section: -_ Imentioning

confidence: 99%

DMSP Auroral Images and the Goose Bay Ionosphere.

Chacko¹,

Mendillo²

1979

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“…Kozyra et al, 1997) and local peaks in ionospheric electron temperature (e.g. Brace and Theis, 1974;Afonin et al, 1997). Substantial energy transfer between the hot electron plasma sheet and the ionosphere has been found to occur in the region of diffuse aurora that extends from the nightside into the dawn sector outside the nominal plasmapause (e.g.…”

Section: Examples Of Research On the Pblmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…LeDocq et al, 1994), heating of the plasmapause region (e.g. Brace and Theis, 1974;Kozyra et al, 1997;Afonin et al, 1997), and energetic particle precipitation (e.g. Rosenberg et al, 1971;Carpenter et al, 1975).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Plasmasphere Boundary Layer

2004

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Abstract.As an inner magnetospheric phenomenon the plasmapause region is of interest for a number of reasons, one being the occurrence there of geophysically important interactions between the plasmas of the hot plasma sheet and of the cool plasmasphere. There is a need for a conceptual framework within which to examine and discuss these interactions and their consequences, and we therefore suggest that the plasmapause region be called the Plasmasphere Boundary Layer, or PBL. Such a term has been slow to emerge because of the complexity and variability of the plasma populations that can exist near the plasmapause and because of the variety of criteria used to identify the plasmapause in experimental data. Furthermore, and quite importantly in our view, a substantial obstacle to the consideration of the plasmapause region as a boundary layer has been the longstanding tendency of textbooks on space physics to limit introductory material on the plasmapause phenomenon to zeroth order descriptions in terms of ideal MHD theory, thus implying that the plasmasphere is relatively well understood. A textbook may introduce the concept of shielding of the inner magnetosphere from perturbing convection electric fields, but attention is not usually paid to the variety of physical processes reported to occur in the PBL, such as heating, instabilities, and fast longitudinal flows, processes which must play roles in plasmasphere dynamics in concert with the flow regimes associated with the major dynamo sources of electric fields. We believe that through the use of the PBL concept in future textbook discussions of the plasmasphere and in scientific communications, much progress can be made on longstanding questions about the physics involved in the formation of the plasmapause and in the cycles of erosion and recovery of the plasmasphere.

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The behavior of the plasmapause at mid-latitudes: Isis 1 Langmuir probe measurements

Cited by 89 publications

References 36 publications

New plasmapause model derived from CHAMP field-aligned current signatures

New plasmapause model derived from CHAMP field-aligned current signatures

DMSP Auroral Images and the Goose Bay Ionosphere.

The Plasmasphere Boundary Layer

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