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Pitch angle variations in magnetospheric thermal plasma — Initial observations from Dynamics Explorer‐1
Author(s) -
Chappell C. R.,
Green J. L.,
Johnson J. F. E.,
Waite J. H.
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/gl009i009p00933
Subject(s) - plasmasphere , plasma , polar , physics , polar cap , thermal , trough (economics) , ionosphere , polar wind , pitch angle , magnetosphere , geophysics , atmospheric sciences , astronomy , meteorology , magnetopause , quantum mechanics , economics , macroeconomics
Initial measurements of thermal plasma outside the plasmasphere in the plasma trough and polar cap reveal the presence of a great variety of pitch angle distributions which are dependent on ion composition and charge state. These observations present the first successful detection of the polar wind at high altitudes in the plasma trough and show that detached plasma regions can be field‐aligned in nature.