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Isotropized Magnetic‐Moment Equation of State for the Central Plasma Sheet
Author(s) -
Kan J. R.,
Baumjohann W.
Publication year - 1990
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/gl017i003p00271
Subject(s) - plasma sheet , physics , plasma , adiabatic process , isotropy , magnetic field , atmospheric pressure plasma , atomic physics , current sheet , magnetohydrodynamics , magnetosphere , quantum mechanics
The AMPTE/IRM plasma and magnetic field data show that the compression in the central plasma sheet (< 20 R E radial distance) near the equatorial plane is governed by the isotropized magnetic‐moment equation of state, P/(NB Z ) = constant, derived from the invariance of the magnetic moment under the assumption of isotropic ion pressure P where N is the number density and B z is the normal field component in the plasma sheet. The adiabatic equation of state, P/N 5/3 = constant, can be expected to govern the compression in the distant plasma sheet (> 20 R E ) or the plasma sheet boundary layer where fewer particles are likely to escape from a flux tube through the loss cone to meet the particle conservation requirement of the adiabatic condition.