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A new model for the ion beams in the plasma sheet boundary layer
Author(s) -
Whelan T.,
Goertz C. K.
Publication year - 1987
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/gl014i001p00068
Subject(s) - magnetosheath , plasma sheet , plasma , ion , atomic physics , boundary layer , physics , field line , field (mathematics) , computational physics , mechanics , magnetopause , magnetosphere , nuclear physics , quantum mechanics , mathematics , pure mathematics
A new model is proposed for the ion beams frequently observed in the plasma sheet boundary layer. The model assumes injection of magnetosheath plasma onto closed tail field lines. The plasma then expands along the field lines and is convected towards the earth. Particle simulations of the Expansion process are used to calculate properties of these beams. The expansion produces beams of ions at energies of up to a few tens of k B T e , which are consistent with the observed energies of the beams.