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A quantitative model of plasma in Neptune's magnetosphere
Author(s) -
Richardson John D.
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 - 10.1029/93gl01353
Subject(s) - magnetosphere , plasma , neptune , physics , diffusion , ambipolar diffusion , plasma diffusion , electron temperature , ion , atomic physics , computational physics , astrophysics , thermodynamics , planet , nuclear physics , quantum mechanics
A model encompassing plasma transport and energy processes is applied to Neptune's magnetosphere. Starting with profiles of the neutral densities and the electron temperature, the model calculates the plasma density and ion temperature profiles. Good agreement between model results and observations is obtained for a neutral source of 5×10 25 s −1 if the diffusion coefficient is 10 −8 L ³R N ²s −1 , plasma is lost at a rate 1/3 that of the strong diffusion rate, and plasma sub‐corotates in the region outside Triton.