Geomagnetic storm particles in the high-latitude magnetotail.

Nearly monoenergetic positive ions flowing outward along magnetic-field lines in the high-latitude magneto tail at ∼18 RE, outside the plasma sheet, have been observed with Vela satellites. These ions, probably mainly protons, are detected only during geomagnetic storms. The ‘storm particles’ have average energies per charge ranging from about 0.3 to 3 kv, but at any instant the energy distribution is quite narrow, sometimes <10%. Their angular distribution is usually narrow, sometimes ∼6°. Particles with storm-particle characteristics are not observed in the plasma sheet. Storm-particle fluxes cannot be determined with high accuracy because of their narrow energy distribution, but they are estimated to reach 105 particles cm−2 sec−1 or more. Possible sources of the storm particles are considered, including the solar wind, magnetosheath, polar cusps, polar wind or ionosphere, plasma sheet, solar neutral hydrogen streams, reconnection transfer of plasma into the magneto tail from the polar cusps, polar wind, or polar ionosphere, and parallel electric-field acceleration of the polar wind or ionosphere ions along polar-cap magnetic-field lines. Of these possibilities, the electric-field acceleration is favored. No matter what their source, storm particles appear to be a new feature of geomagnetic storms.

[1]  T. Davis,et al.  The relationship between polar magnetic activity DP and growth of the geomagnetic ring current , 1967 .

[2]  F. S. Johnson,et al.  The distribution of interplanetary hydrogen , 1963 .

[3]  T. Speiser Some Recent Results Using the Dungey Model , 1969 .

[4]  C. Kennel,et al.  Current driven electrostatic and electromagnetic ion cyclotron instabilities , 1971 .

[5]  Charles F. Kennel,et al.  Topside current instabilities , 1971 .

[6]  D. Swift A mechanism for energizing electrons in the magnetosphere , 1965 .

[7]  Louis A. Frank,et al.  On the extraterrestrial ring current during geomagnetic storms , 1967 .

[8]  L. Frank Plasma in the Earth's polar magnetosphere , 1971 .

[9]  D. H. Fairfield,et al.  Polar magnetic disturbances and the interplanetary magnetic field. , 1967 .

[10]  D. Fairfield Average magnetic field configuration of the outer magnetosphere. , 1968 .

[11]  D. Hunten,et al.  On ejection of neutral hydrogen from the sun and the terrestrial consequences , 1966 .

[12]  J. Asbridge,et al.  Vela 4 plasma observations near the Earth’s bow shock , 1970 .

[13]  A. Hundhausen,et al.  Solar wind and magnetosheath observations during the January 13–14, 1967, geomagnetic storm , 1968 .

[14]  E. W. Hones,et al.  Characteristics of the plasma sheet in the Earth's magnetotail , 1967 .

[15]  J. Asbridge,et al.  Outward flow of protons from the Earth's bow shock , 1968 .

[16]  W. Simpson,et al.  Large fluxes of 1‐kev atomic hydrogen at 800 km , 1970 .

[17]  H. Fahr,et al.  INTERACTION BETWEEN INTERSTELLAR HYDROGEN AND THE SOLAR WIND. , 1970 .

[18]  A. Hundhausen,et al.  Observation of a solar flare induced interplanetary shock and helium-enriched driver gas , 1970 .

[19]  C. Fälthammar,et al.  Relationship between changes in the interplanetary magnetic field and variations in the magnetic field at the Earth's surface , 1967 .

[20]  S. Akasofu A source of the energy for geomagnetic storms and auroras. , 1964 .

[21]  C. Russell,et al.  Some remarks on the position and shape of the neutral sheet , 1967 .

[22]  P. Cloutier A comment on “the neutral hydrogen flux in the solar plasma flow” by S.-I. Akasofu , 1966 .

[23]  L. Frank On the presence of low-energy protons (5≲E≲50 kev) in the interplanetary medium , 1970 .

[24]  E. W. Hones,et al.  Time variations of the magnetotail plasma sheet at 18 RE Determined from concurrent observations by a pair of Vela satellites , 1971 .

[25]  D. Colburn,et al.  Interplanetary field and geomagnetic variations a unified view , 1969 .

[26]  W. Axford Helium in the atmosphere, aurora and solar wind. , 1969 .

[27]  L. J. Cahill,et al.  INFLATION OF THE INNER MAGNETOSPHERE DURING A MAGNETIC STORM , 1966 .

[28]  J. Winningham,et al.  Penetration of magnetosheath plasma to low altitudes through the dayside magnetospheric cusps , 1971 .

[29]  A. Hundhausen,et al.  Solar wind ions: 56Fe+8 to 56Fe+12, 28Si+7, 28Si+8, 28Si+9, and 16O+6 , 1970 .

[30]  T. Holzer,et al.  The polar wind , 1968 .

[31]  E. W. Hones,et al.  Outward flow of plasms in the magnetotail following geomagnetic bays , 1967 .