The specific entropy of the plasma sheet as a controlling factor for the injection of a storm-time ring current

Other

Scientific paper

Rate now

  [ 0.00 ] – not rated yet Voters 0   Comments 0

Details

7843 Numerical Simulation Studies, 2736 Magnetosphere/Ionosphere Interactions, 2764 Plasma Sheet, 2778 Ring Current, 2788 Storms And Substorms

Scientific paper

Simulation results are presented which explore the importance of the inner plasma sheet specific entropy (pV5/3, where p is pressure and V = ∫ ds/B is the flux tube volume) for controlling the strength and depth of ring current particle injections during magnetic storms. The simulation model is the RCM--E (Rice Convection Model -- Equilibrium), which calculates the energy-dependent magnetic and electric drifts of particles within self-consistently computed magnetic and electric fields. The results demonstrate that inner plasma sheet reductions in the specific entropy can drive region 1 Birkeland currents that enhance the westward electric field in the depletion region; the strong electric field then propels plasma earthward, into the ring current. In contrast, earthward convection of heavily loaded (insufficiently depleted) plasma sheet flux tubes is impeded by the immense pressure gradient that would result from squeezing that much plasma into the much smaller volume of a ring current flux tube. In other words, insufficient depletion disallows the flux tubes from taking on the quasi-dioplar shape necessary to penetrate into the ring current. Flux tube content reductions are observed during the substorm expansion phase, suggesting one potential process (though perhaps not the only one) that could lead to ring current injection. The ability of the plasma sheet specific entropy to influence the injection of ring current particles, and the implications for understanding the differences between SMC and Sawtooth events will be examined.

No associations

LandOfFree

Say what you really think

Search LandOfFree.com for scientists and scientific papers. Rate them and share your experience with other people.

Rating

The specific entropy of the plasma sheet as a controlling factor for the injection of a storm-time ring current does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this scientific paper.

If you have personal experience with The specific entropy of the plasma sheet as a controlling factor for the injection of a storm-time ring current, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and The specific entropy of the plasma sheet as a controlling factor for the injection of a storm-time ring current will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

     

Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-1468188

  Search
All data on this website is collected from public sources. Our data reflects the most accurate information available at the time of publication.