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Cold ion beams in the low latitude boundary layer during accelerated flow eventsMeasurements made with the Fast Plasma Experiment on ISEE 1 and 2 reveal that accelerated beams of cold (1-30 eV for H/+/) ions are present sporadically on reconnected field lines within the low latitude boundary layer (LLBI). H(+) normally is the major constituent of these beams, but He(+) and O(+) are also occasionally detected in variable concentrations. Because of the low temperatures and the compositional makeup of these beams, the ionosphere must ultimately be the source of these ions. Observed beam speeds (between 120 and 250 km/s) are always less than that of the magnetosheath ions which penetrate into the LLBL on reconnected field lines, but both ion populations share the same E x B convective drift. Analysis reveals that reflection at the magnetopause cannot be the mechanism accelerating these ions. A more likely possibility is that the ions are accelerated primarily by the large transverse drift of recently reconnected field lines.
Document ID
19910031780
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
Authors
Gosling, J. T.
(Los Alamos National Lab. NM, United States)
Thomsen, M. F.
(Los Alamos National Lab. NM, United States)
Bame, S. J.
(Los Alamos National Lab. NM, United States)
Elphic, R. C.
(Los Alamos National Laboratory NM, United States)
Russell, C. T.
(California, University Los Angeles, United States)
Date Acquired
August 15, 2013
Publication Date
November 1, 1990
Publication Information
Publication: Geophysical Research Letters
Volume: 17
ISSN: 0094-8276
Subject Category
Geophysics
Accession Number
91A16403
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other

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