Temperature variation of the plasma sheet during substorms |
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Authors: | A.T.Y. Lui C.-I. Meng L.A. Frank K.L. Ackerson S.-I. Akasofu |
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Affiliation: | The Johns Hopkins University, Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, MD 20810, U.S.A.;Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, U.S.A.;Geophysical Institute, University of Alaska, Fairbanks, AK 99701, U.S.A. |
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Abstract: | The temperature and density of the plasma in the Earth's distant plasma sheet at the downstream distances of about 20–25 Re are examined during a high geomagnetic disturbance period. It is shown that the plasma sheet cools when magnetospheric substorm expansion is indicated by the AE index. During cooling, the plasma sheet temperature, T, and the number density, N, are related by (adiabatic process) in some instances, while by T ∝ N?1 (isobaric process) in other cases. The total plasma and magnetic pressure decreases when and increases when T ∝ N?1. Observation also indicates that the dawn-dusk component of plasma flow is frequently large and comparable to the sunward-tailward flow component near the central plasma sheet during substorms. |
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