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On the Initial motion of artificial comets in the AMPTE releases
Author(s) -
Papadopoulos K.,
Lui A. T. Y.
Publication year - 1986
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/gl013i009p00925
Subject(s) - gyroradius , physics , solar wind , magnetic field , magnetic cloud , ion , computational physics , radius , comet , geophysics , astrophysics , interplanetary magnetic field , computer security , quantum mechanics , computer science
The early time ( t < 300 s) interaction of the Ba + cloud with the solar wind during the AMPTE comet release is examined, with an emphasis on the issue of the Ba + ion magnetization. It is shown that the observed magnetic field profile is consistent with the Ba + ions being magnetized, in the sense that the cloud radius , is the Ba + gyroradius. As a consequence, any momentum coupling force F between the Ba + cloud and the solar wind in their relative streaming direction will produce an acceleration drift in a direction consistent with the observations. The drift will cease when the cloud expands to the extent that the magnetic field inside the cloud is reduced to satisfy . The implications of the model to observables of the interaction are discussed.