Physics – Plasma Physics
Scientific paper
Dec 2010
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2010agufmsm51c1834s&link_type=abstract
American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting 2010, abstract #SM51C-1834
Physics
Plasma Physics
[2764] Magnetospheric Physics / Plasma Sheet, [2788] Magnetospheric Physics / Magnetic Storms And Substorms, [7863] Space Plasma Physics / Turbulence
Scientific paper
Recent studies have shown that that plasma turbulence in the plasma sheet is important for the analysis of stability of the sheet. In this study the level of turbulence has been evaluated by calculating the eddy-diffusion coefficients using the Cluster and Themis satellite data. It was found that the values of eddy-diffusion coefficients vary in a wide range, however the turbulence is always present, even during quiet geomagnetic conditions, increasing during geomagnetic substorms. Analysis of the Themis satellite data showed that the values of eddy-diffusion coefficients increase with the distance from the Earth, and the low eddy diffusion is localized at the distances less than 12 Earth’s radii in the transition region between the dipole and the tail-like geomagnetic field configuration. Analysis of the Cluster satellite data made it possible to determine the variation of eddy-diffusion coefficients and particle density across the plasma sheet as well as its thickness. The corresponding values of dawn-dusk electric filed potential drop were obtained from the SuperDarn measurements. These results confirm the Antonova and Ovchinnikov (1996,1999,2001) theory of the plasma sheet formation, according to which a compact and comparatively stable turbulent plasma sheet can be formed when the regular plasma transport related to the regular dawn-dusk electric field across the plasma sheet is compensated by the eddy diffusion turbulent transport. When the turbulent fluctuations act to expand the plasma sheet, the large-scale electrostatic dawn-dusk electric field counteracts to compress it, similarly to the case of the laboratory pinch which is compressed by the induction electric field. When the expansion and compression compensate each other, a stationary structure is formed. Our results have shown that this theory reproduces the dynamics of the turbulent plasma sheet, including its thickness. The presence of intermittency in the turbulent plasma flows was identified using the Local Intermittency Measure Technique. It was found that the turbulence is more intermittent in the region between 15 and 20 Earth radii. Possible relationship with magnetic reconnection is discussed.
Antonova Elizabeth E.
Pinto V. A.
Stepanova M. V.
Valdivia Juan A.
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