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Ion injections at auroral latitude during the March 31, 2001 magnetic storm observed by Cluster
Author(s) -
Korth A.,
Fränz M.,
Zong Q.G.,
Fritz T. A.,
Sauvaud J.A.,
Rème H.,
Dandouras I.,
Friedel R.,
Mouikis C. G.,
Kistler L. M.,
Möbius E.,
Marcucci M. F.,
Wilber M.,
Parks G.,
Keiling A.,
Lundin R.,
Daly P. W.
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1029/2004gl020356
Subject(s) - ion , geomagnetic storm , storm , dispersion (optics) , physics , geophysics , ionosphere , cluster (spacecraft) , atmospheric sciences , low latitude , geology , earth's magnetic field , astrophysics , magnetic field , meteorology , optics , quantum mechanics , computer science , programming language
We present here simultaneous H + and O + ion dispersion signatures observed by three Cluster spacecraft above the northern auroral zone. These observations occur during strong geomagnetic activity (K p = 9) and are consistent with a time‐of‐flight (TOF) dispersion of the ions. Using the TOF dispersion of H + and O + and bouncing properties of H + , we show that the ions originate from a distant source located near 80 R e down tail. Our results show that the magnetotail is topographically stable to support multiple bouncing of H + ions during a storm period. Furthermore these results could suggest that the plasmasheet H + and O + ions have been accelerated to the same velocity in the vicinity of a reconnection region.