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Limits on plasma anisotropy in a tail-like magnetic fieldThe condition of magnetohydrostatic equilibrium implies tight constraints on the degree of anisotropy that is supportable in a magnetotail field geometry. If the plasma pressure tensor is assumed to be gyrotropic at the tail midplane (z = 0), then equilibrium requires that it also be nearly isotropic there, with P-perpendicular sub 0/P-parallel sub 0 in the range 1 +/- delta square, where delta of about 0.1 is the ratio of the normal field component at the symmetry plane to the field strength in the tail lobe. The upper and the lower limits are essentially equivalent, respectively, to the marginal mirror and firehose stability conditions evaluated at z = 0, which have been invoked previously to limit the degree of anisotropy in the plasma sheet.
Document ID
19930040399
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
Authors
Hill, T. W.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Voigt, G.-H.
(Rice Univ. Houston, TX, United States)
Date Acquired
August 16, 2013
Publication Date
December 24, 1992
Publication Information
Publication: Geophysical Research Letters
Volume: 19
Issue: 24
ISSN: 0094-8276
Subject Category
Lunar And Planetary Exploration
Accession Number
93A24396
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: NSF ATM-91-03440
CONTRACT_GRANT: NAG5-1489
CONTRACT_GRANT: NSF ATM-91-14269
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other

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