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Composition measurements of warm equatorially trapped ions near geosynchronous orbit
Author(s) -
Quinn J. M.,
Johnson R. G.
Publication year - 1982
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/gl009i007p00777
Subject(s) - ion , geosynchronous orbit , equator , physics , range (aeronautics) , cyclotron , local time , earth's magnetic field , atomic physics , atmospheric sciences , geophysics , astronomy , materials science , magnetic field , satellite , latitude , statistics , mathematics , quantum mechanics , composite material
The mass composition of the intense warm (E ∼ 10‐500 eV) ion populations trapped within a few degrees of the geomagnetic equator in the range L = 5.3‐6.5 are examined using data from the Lockheed Ion Mass Spectrometer on the SCATHA spacecraft. The equatorially trapped ions, within the measured energy range E/q ≥ 100 eV, are found to be predominantly protons. These ions can be removed and replenished from the region sampled on time scales shorter than one day. Several recent works have focused on the energization of He + in the equatorial region by ion cyclotron waves. It is now evident that an energization and/or transport process is required which produces equatorial H + populations similar to those that have been predicted for He + .