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DE‐1 observations of counterstreaming electrons at high altitudes
Author(s) -
Lin C. S.,
Burch J. L.,
Winningham J. D.,
Menietti J. D.,
Hoffman R. A.
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/gl009i009p00925
Subject(s) - physics , electron , particle acceleration , plasma , magnetic field , field line , electric field , event (particle physics) , magnetosphere , computational physics , antiparallel (mathematics) , astrophysics , geophysics , nuclear physics , quantum mechanics
Observations of plasma at altitudes of 2‐3 R E with the High Altitude Plasma Instrument (HAPI) on DE‐1 indicate two distinct types of counterstreaming electron events. The type 1 event is characterized by two Maxwellian distribution functions, an isotropic high‐temperature component and a field‐aligned low temperature component. The type 2 event is distinguished by beams parallel and antiparallel to the magnetic field direction. The observations suggest two distinct mechanisms for accelerating counterstreaming electrons. Type 1 events appear to involve wave‐particle interactions while type 2 events imply direct acceleration by oppositely‐directed electric fields pointing toward the satellite along magnetic field lines.