Observations of molecular ions in the earth's magnetosphere

Details Observations of molecular ions in the earth's magnetosphere Observations of molecular ions in the earth's magnetosphere

Aug 1985

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1985jgr....90.7599c&link_type=abstract

Journal of Geophysical Research (ISSN 0148-0227), vol. 90, Aug. 1, 1985, p. 7599-7605.

Physics

33

Atmospheric Composition, Magnetospheric Ion Density, Molecular Ions, Polar Caps, Auroral Zones, Dynamics Explorer 1 Satellite, Ion Motion, Kp Index, Nitrogen Ions, Oxygen Ions, Positive Ions

Scientific paper

The retarding ion mass spectrometer on Dynamics Explorer 1 operating over the polar cap during a large magnetic storm has measured fluxes of up to 10 to the 6th ions/sq cm s of the molecular ions N2(+), NO(+), and O2(+). These ions were measured beginning low in the satellite orbit (1.1 earth radii) and extending to about 3 earth radii geocentric altitude. Near perigee, the ions have a rammed distribution indicating a cold Maxwellian plasma (1000-2000 K). The molecular ions gradually shift to a field-aligned distribution at the higher alitudes. An upward flow of 5-10 km/s is found in these field-aligned measurements. The density of the molecular ions is on the order of 2/cu cm at all altitudes, and the energy of the ions generally increases as the satellite moves sunward across the southern polar cap. Kinetic energies of at least 20 eV were found at 2.5 earth-radii geocentric distance.

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