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Continuum radiation and electron plasma oscillations in the distant geomagnetic tail
Author(s) -
Coroniti F. V.,
Scarf F. L.,
Kennel C. F.,
Gurnett D. A.
Publication year - 1984
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/gl011i007p00661
Subject(s) - physics , magnetosheath , plasma , earth's magnetic field , electron , isotropy , substorm , radiation , plasma oscillation , anisotropy , atomic physics , computational physics , magnetic field , magnetopause , magnetosphere , optics , quantum mechanics
ISEE‐3 electric field measurements are used to examine the properties of electromagnetic continuum radiation in the distant geomagnetic tail. Continuum is observed in all the tail's plasma regions and in the magnetosheath. The power spectrum at 210 R E is nearly identical to that at 40 R E , indicating that the tail cavity forms a reasonably loss‐free waveguide. The angular distribution exhibits both anisotropy, which is similar to that observed nearer the earth, and isotropy for high frequencies (f > 31.6 kHz) in the magnetosheath and for low frequencies (f ≤ 17.8 kHz) in the tail lobes and boundary layer. Isotropic radiation suggests that, in addition to the near earth source, continuum is also generated over a large spatial region in the tail. Electrostatic electron plasma oscillations are also detected in the in the distant tail, and these could represent the local source of the continuum.