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Multiple electron species dynamics parallel to a high‐latitude field line
Author(s) -
Mitchell H. G.,
Ganguli Supriya B.,
Palmadesso P. J.
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/gl017i011p01873
Subject(s) - magnetosphere , ionosphere , physics , field line , electron , plasma , geophysics , computational physics , coupling (piping) , field (mathematics) , magnetic field , electron precipitation , atmospheric sciences , materials science , mathematics , quantum mechanics , pure mathematics , metallurgy
The parallel dynamics of the plasma along high‐latitude field lines is a critical feature of the ionosphere‐magnetosphere coupling problem. We have created a time‐dependent, large scale simulation of these dynamics in a region from the ionosphere well into the magnetosphere. Including multiple electron species has allowed us to dynamically simulate the diode‐like response of the field‐line plasma to the parallel currents coupling the ionosphere and magnetosphere. Downward (return) currents flow with small resistance, while upward currents produce kilovolt‐sized potential drops along the field due to the effect of the converging magnetic field on the high energy magnetospheric electrons.