The magnetopause electron layer along the distant magnetotail

Creators: Baker, D. N.; Stone, E. C.

Abstract

An energetic electron layer is found immediately adjacent to, and outside of, the magnetopause surface along the distant magnetotail (−40 ≲ X_(SM) ≲ −15 R_E). The layer has been detected using Caltech instrumentation aboard the earth-orbiting spacecraft IMP-8 and is observed for electrons with energies E ≳ 200 keV. The present study shows that such electrons form a layer ∼ 3 R_E thick and are strongly streaming in a well-ordered pattern, especially along the dusk magnetopause. The energy dissipation implied by the persistent flow may be a direct indication of nearly continuous magnetic merging at or near the magnetopause.

Additional Information

© 1977 by the American Geophysical Union. Manuscript Accepted: 7 Mar 1977 Manuscript Received: 17 Jan 1977. We thank L. A. Frank both for providing us with IMP-8 LEPEDA energy-time spectograms and for many helpful discussions. We are also grateful to R. P. Lepping and N. F. Ness for providing us with the IMP-8 magnetometer data through J. H. King of the National Space Science Data Center. We are grateful to R. E. Vogt who has been closely involved in this investigation and to W. E. Althouse, G. J.Hurford, J. E. Lupton, and R. A. Mewaldt, who made significant contributions to various phases of this program. This work was supported in part by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration under contract NAS5-11066 and Grant NGR 05-002-160.

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