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The polar ionosphere as a source of energetic magnetospheric plasma
Author(s) -
Shelley E. G.,
Peterson W. K.,
Ghielmetti A. G.,
Geiss J.
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/gl009i009p00941
Subject(s) - ionosphere , polar , ion , physics , plasma , plasma sheet , magnetosphere , polar cap , atmospheric sciences , polar wind , atomic physics , geophysics , astronomy , magnetopause , nuclear physics , quantum mechanics
The energetic ion composition spectrometer on Dynamics Explorer‐1 regularly observes ions with energies from a few eV to a few hundred eV flowing upward out of the polar cap ionosphere. Since O + is usually the dominant species observed, these fluxes are not consistent with the expectations for the polar wind. These fluxes are most likely the source of the tail lobe ion streams and probably represent a significant source of plasma for the maintenance of the plasma sheet.