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The fate of the outer plasmasphere
Author(s) -
Elphic R. C.,
Thomsen M. F.,
Borovsky J. E.
Publication year - 1997
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 - 10.1029/97gl00141
Subject(s) - plasmasphere , geophysics , ionosphere , earth's magnetic field , geomagnetic storm , solar wind , plasma sheet , magnetosphere , polar cap , convection , atmospheric sciences , plasma , physics , polar , polar wind , flux (metallurgy) , geology , magnetopause , magnetic field , meteorology , astronomy , materials science , quantum mechanics , metallurgy
Both the solar wind and the ionosphere contribute to Earth's magnetospheric plasma environment. However, it is not widely appreciated that the plasmasphere is a large reservoir of ionospheric ions that can be tapped to populate the plasma sheet. We employ empirical models of high‐latitude ionospheric convection and the geomagnetic field to describe the transport of outer plasmasphere flux tubes from the dayside, over the polar cap and into the magnetotail during the early phases of a geomagnetic storm. We calculate that this process can give rise to high densities of cold plasma in the magnetotail lobes and in the near‐Earth plasma sheet during times of enhanced geomagnetic activity, and especially during storms. This model can help explain both polar cap ionization patches and the presence of cold flowing ions downtail.