Magnetic Turbulence and Ion Dynamics in the Magnetotail |
| |
| Authors: | AL Taktakishvili A Greco P Veltri G Zimbardo LM Zelenyi AV Milovanov |
| |
| Institution: | (1) Abastumani Astrophysical Observatory, Tbilisi, Georgia;(2) Physics Department, University of Calabria and Istituto Nazionale di Fisica della Materia, Unita' di Cosenza, I-87036 Arcavacata di Rende, Italy;(3) Space Research Institute, Moscow, Russia |
| |
| Abstract: | The ion dynamics in the Earth's magnetotail is studied in the case when a cross tail electric field E
0 and reconnection-driven magnetic turbulence are present in the current sheet. The magnetic turbulence observed by the Interball
spacecraft is modeled numerically by a power law magnetic fluctuation spectrum. A test particle simulation is performed for
the ions, and the distribution function moments are obtained as a function of the magnetic fluctuation level, δB/B
0, and of the value of the normal component B
n. It appears that even in the presence of magnetic turbulence, the normal component has a marked influence on particle dynamics:
the ion bulk velocity along E
y and ion temperature are almost inversely proportional to B
n. The magnetic turbulence causes the current to split in two layers, and the level of magnetic fluctuations needed to have
splitting is roughly proportional to B
n. It appears that in the relevant range of parameters, B
n and δB/B
0 have opposite effects on the current structure and on ion heating.
This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date. |
| |
| Keywords: | |
| 本文献已被 SpringerLink 等数据库收录！ |
|
