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Magnetotail flux ropes
Author(s) -
Sibeck D. G.,
Siscoe G. L.,
Slavin J. A.,
Smith E. J.,
Bame S. J.,
Scarf F. L.
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/gl011i010p01090
Subject(s) - flux (metallurgy) , physics , magnetometer , magnetic flux , magnetic field , substorm , plasma , midnight , plasma sheet , geophysics , astrophysics , magnetosphere , astronomy , nuclear physics , materials science , quantum mechanics , metallurgy
ISEE‐3 magnetometer observations are presented that are consistant with flux ropes within the magnetotail. Three instances have been found. The flux ropes are identified by a strong magnetic field in their core, a bipolar magnetic field signature, and a double peaked field signature indicative of an off‐center crossing. The axes of the flux ropes lie nearly parallel to the magnetotail axis. Inside the flux ropes, a hot plasma streams tailward and there is an increase in the flux of energetic protons and the intensity of plasma waves. When the flux ropes were observed, ground magnetograms near local midnight were highly disturbed.