Other
Scientific paper
May 2008
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2008agusmsm23a..04l&link_type=abstract
American Geophysical Union, Spring Meeting 2008, abstract #SM23A-04
Other
2744 Magnetotail, 2774 Radiation Belts, 2788 Magnetic Storms And Substorms (7954)
Scientific paper
For low values of the solar wind electric field the response of the polar cap potential is essentially linear, but at high values of VBs the polar cap potential saturates and does not increase further with increasing VBs. On the other hand, the ring current injection rate does increase linearly with VBs and shows no evidence of saturating. If enhanced convection is the origin of the ring current this poses a paradox. How can the polar cap potential, and thus convection, saturate when the ring current does not? We examine a possible explanation based on the reexamination of the Burton equation by Vasyliunas [2006]. We show that this explanation is not a viable solution to the paradox since it would require a changing polar cap flux, and we demonstrate that the polar cap flux saturates (at around 1 GWb) as the polar cap potential saturates. Instead, we argue that during storms a quasi-steady reconnection region forms in the tail near the Earth. This reconnection region moves closer to the Earth for higher values of solar wind Bs, even though the polar cap potential, the dayside merging and nightside reconnection rates, and the amount of open flux do not change much with VBs once the polar cap potential has become saturated. As the neutral line moves closer, and the volume per unit magnetic flux is less, flux tubes leaving the reconnection region have lower PVγ and they can penetrate deeper into the inner magnetosphere, leading to a greater inner magnetosphere plasma pressures. Thus a reconnection region that is closer to Earth is more effective in creating a strong ring current. This leads to a continued dependence of the ring current injection rate on VBs even though the polar cap potential has saturated.
Brogl S.
Bruntz Robert
Lopez Robert E.
Lyon John G.
Merkin V. G.
No associations
LandOfFree
Why doesn't the ring current injection rate saturate? 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 Why doesn't the ring current injection rate saturate?, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Why doesn't the ring current injection rate saturate? will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-1400381