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The Venus ionopause current sheet - Thickness length scale and controlling factorsData from the fluxgate magnetometer, plasma wave experiment and Langmuir probe aboard Pioneer Venus are used to investigate the characteristic thickness length scale of the ionopause current sheet, as well as how this length scale is controlled. Thickness is found to be a bistatic quality, large scales being associated with high field strengths and current sheet altitudes below 300 km, while smaller scales are found with lower field strengths and ionopause altitudes above 300 km. Ion collisions and plasma wave activity contribute to the formation of the broader, low-altitude ionopause current sheets. Although evidence suggests that the wave activity influences the thin ionopause current sheets, a simple model points to the control of the thin ionopause current sheets by ionospheric ion and electron temperatures
Document ID
19820033348
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
Authors
Elphic, R. C.
(California Univ. Los Angeles, CA, United States)
Russell, C. T.
(California Univ. Los Angeles, CA, United States)
Luhmann, J. G.
(California, University Los Angeles, CA, United States)
Scarf, F. L.
(TRW Defense and Space Systems Group, Space Sciences Dept., Redondo Beach CA, United States)
Brace, L. H.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Laboratory for Planetary Atmospheres, Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Date Acquired
August 10, 2013
Publication Date
December 1, 1981
Publication Information
Publication: Journal of Geophysical Research
Volume: 86
Subject Category
Lunar And Planetary Exploration
Accession Number
82A16883
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: NAS2-9491
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other

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