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Self‐consistent electrostatic potential due to trapped plasma in the magnetosphere
Author(s) -
Miller Ronald H.,
Khazanov George V.
Publication year - 1993
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 - 10.1029/93gl01251
Subject(s) - physics , plasma , electric field , magnetic field , magnetosphere , atomic physics , electric potential , distribution function , steady state (chemistry) , flux tube , magnetic flux , quantum mechanics , voltage , chemistry
A steady state solution for the self‐consistent electrostatic potential due to a plasma confined in a magnetic flux tube is considered. A steady state distribution function is constructed for the trapped particles from the constants of the motion, in the absence of waves and collisions. Using Liouville's theorem, the particle density along the geomagnetic field is determined and found to depend on the local magnetic field, self‐consistent electric potential, and the equatorial plasma distribution function. A hot anisotropic magnetospheric plasma in steady state is modeled by a bi‐Maxwellian at the equator. The self‐consistent electric potential along the magnetic field is calculated assuming quasineutrality, and the potential drop is found to be approximately equal to the average kinetic energy of the equatorially trapped plasma. The potential is compared with that obtained by Alfvén and Fälthammar [1963].