A note on current sheet stress balance in the geomagnetic tail for asymmetrical tail lobe plasma conditions

Details A note on current sheet stress balance in the geomagnetic tail for asymmetrical tail lobe plasma conditions A note on current sheet stress balance in the geomagnetic tail for asymmetrical tail lobe plasma conditions

Apr 1987

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1987p%26ss...35..467o&link_type=abstract

Planetary and Space Science (ISSN 0032-0633), vol. 35, April 1987, p. 467-474.

Physics

10

Current Sheets, Equilibrium Equations, Geomagnetic Tail, Magnetic Flux, Plasma Dynamics, Space Plasmas, Field Aligned Currents, Flow Velocity, Magnetic Field Configurations, Magnetic Field Reconnection, Magnetohydrodynamic Flow, Neutral Currents, Plasma Pressure

Scientific paper

It is shown that the current sheet equilibrium condition can be readily generalized to include lobe plasma asymmetry under the simplifying assumption that all particles incident on the current sheet are transmitted through it. The result is expressed in a form which emphasizes the physical equivalence of stress balance by anisotropic plasma pressure and by net flow through the current sheet. The former case occurs for symmetrical lobe conditions, and balance is expressed in terms of the marginal firehose stability condition. The latter case occurs if one lobe dominates, when the field-aligned plasma flow speed in the field line rest frame must equal the tail lobe Alfven speed. Results are illustrated by a simple example in which the inflow plasmas are approximated as cold ion beams of unequal density and speed. It is shown that equilibrium solutions cease to exist for sufficiently large inflow velocity shears, but that in practice this condition is most unlikely to be encountered in the tail.

Affiliated with

Also associated with

No associations

Rating

A note on current sheet stress balance in the geomagnetic tail for asymmetrical tail lobe plasma conditions 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 A note on current sheet stress balance in the geomagnetic tail for asymmetrical tail lobe plasma conditions, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and A note on current sheet stress balance in the geomagnetic tail for asymmetrical tail lobe plasma conditions will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-1349472