Physics
Scientific paper
Dec 2011
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2011agufmsm51b2068w&link_type=abstract
American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting 2011, abstract #SM51B-2068
Physics
[2740] Magnetospheric Physics / Magnetospheric Configuration And Dynamics, [2744] Magnetospheric Physics / Magnetotail, [2748] Magnetospheric Physics / Magnetotail Boundary Layers, [2764] Magnetospheric Physics / Plasma Sheet
Scientific paper
We present the results of a survey of Cluster PEACE and CIS-CODIF data taken in the 2001-2006 tail seasons, building on the work of Walsh et al. (GRL, 2011). We examine the average pitch angle distributions of protons and electrons in the magnetotail as a function of proton plasma beta, restricted to times when the magnetosphere was exposed to steady (on a 3 hour timescale) IMF conditions and focussing in particular on dawn-dusk asymmetries. We confirm that, on average, the 2 component proton plasma sheet exists duskward of the noon-midnight meridian under steady northward IMF. An associated population of cold electrons is also observed. Dawnward of the noon-midnight meridian there are no significant fluxes of the cold component of protons and much reduced fluxes of the cold electron component, implying transport across the dusk magnetopause is the dominant formation mechanism of the two component plasma sheet for both protons and electrons. Under southward IMF, dawn-dusk asymmetries in the protons are controlled by the Y component of the IMF. For the electrons higher fluxes of high energy, field-aligned, particles are observed at dusk than at dawn. This suggests a link to a duskward offset of the tail neutral line and the preferential observation of substorm-related tail signatures in the premidnight sector. We also consider the relationship between the observed particle populations and the average behaviour of the large-scale magnetotail current systems as revealed by the Curlometer.
Dandouras Iannis S.
Fazakerley Andrew N.
Forsyth Christine
Owen Christopher J.
Walsh Andrew P.
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