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Magnetotail electric fields observed from lunar orbitDirect observations of convection electric fields in the earth's magnetotail are reported. The electric fields have been measured from lunar orbit by detection of the E x B/B-squared drift displacement of low-energy electrons at the limb of the moon. It is found that electric fields range in magnitude from a value less than or equal to 0.02 mV/m, the limit of sensitivity of the method, to 2 mV/M. The typical value is 0.15 mV/M, and the corresponding convection velocity is 15 km/s. The sense of the electric field is almost always dawn to dusk. The electric field is often variable on a time scale of hours and sometimes minutes. The observations indicate that the electric field is not uniform across the magnetotail. If it is assumed that the typical measured electric-field value represents an average over the inhomogeneities, the potential drop across the entire tail is of the order of 40 kV.
Document ID
19750058671
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
Authors
Mccoy, J. E.
(NASA Johnson Space Center Houston, Tex., United States)
Lin, R. P.
Mcguire, R. E.
Chase, L. M.
Anderson, K. A.
(California, University Berkeley, Calif., United States)
Date Acquired
August 8, 2013
Publication Date
August 1, 1975
Publication Information
Publication: Journal of Geophysical Research
Volume: 80
Subject Category
Geophysics
Accession Number
75A42743
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: NAS9-10509
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other

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