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Quasi‐neutrality in the polar cusp
Author(s) -
Burch J. L.
Publication year - 1985
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/gl012i007p00469
Subject(s) - ambipolar diffusion , magnetosheath , cusp (singularity) , magnetopause , ion , physics , polar , electron , electric field , plasma , atomic physics , ionosphere , magnetosphere , astrophysics , computational physics , geophysics , astronomy , nuclear physics , geometry , mathematics , quantum mechanics
Data from the High Altitude Plasma Instrument on Dynamics Explorer have shown a remarkably close correspondence between the densities of suprathermal electrons and positive ions at altitudes between 16,000 and 23,000 km in the polar cusp. It is argued that this quasi‐neutrality results from an ambipolar electric field at the magnetopause, which allows the entry of magnetosheath electrons only to the extent required to balance the charge carried by the positive ions.