S3 (Explorer 45) Observations of the Interaction of Energetic Particles with Detached Regions of Cold Plasma
Location
Yosemite National Park
Start Date
2-8-1974 1:45 PM
End Date
2-8-1974 1:45 PM
Description
The equatorial satellite S3 has on several occasions encountered isolated regions of enhanced cold plasma density in the afternoon hours of the magnetosphere. Since these regions exist well outside the main plasmasphere, and since they generally occur in conjunction with magnetic storms, they offer a unique opportunity to study possible interactions between hot and cold plasma such as might occur in a future artificial plasma injection experiment. The main plasmasphere is not a convenient region for this type of study since the plasmapause is thought to be an important boundary for strong electric field convection which affects both the hot and cold plasma. It is therefore difficult in those regions to separate cold plasma effects from electric field effects. The influence of cold plasma density enhancements on the intensities and pitch angle distributions of energetic electrons and protons will be discussed and an assessment made of the importance of cold plasma interactions as ring current loss mechanisms.
S3 (Explorer 45) Observations of the Interaction of Energetic Particles with Detached Regions of Cold Plasma
Yosemite National Park
The equatorial satellite S3 has on several occasions encountered isolated regions of enhanced cold plasma density in the afternoon hours of the magnetosphere. Since these regions exist well outside the main plasmasphere, and since they generally occur in conjunction with magnetic storms, they offer a unique opportunity to study possible interactions between hot and cold plasma such as might occur in a future artificial plasma injection experiment. The main plasmasphere is not a convenient region for this type of study since the plasmapause is thought to be an important boundary for strong electric field convection which affects both the hot and cold plasma. It is therefore difficult in those regions to separate cold plasma effects from electric field effects. The influence of cold plasma density enhancements on the intensities and pitch angle distributions of energetic electrons and protons will be discussed and an assessment made of the importance of cold plasma interactions as ring current loss mechanisms.