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Energetic atomic and molecular ions of ionospheric origin observed in distant magnetotail flow-reversal eventsEnergetic atomic (O(+1) and N(+1)) and molecular (O2(+1), NO(+1), and N2(+1)) ions of ionospheric origin were observed in Earth's magnetotail at X approximately -146 R(sub E) during two plasma sheet sunward/tailward flow-reversal events measured by instruments on the GEOTAIL spacecraft. These events were associated with concurrent ground-measured geomagnetic disturbance intensification at auroral-and mid-latitudes (Kp = 7(-)). Energetic ions in the sunward-component and tailward flows were from both the solar wind and ionosphere. Plasma and energetic ions participated in the flows. During tailward flow, ionospheric origin ion abundance ratios at approximately 200-900 km/s in the rest frame were N(+1)/O(+1) = approximately 25-30% and ((O2(+1), NO(+1), and N2(+1))/O(+1) = approximately 1-2%. We argue that tailward flow most likely initiated approximately 80-100 R(sub E) tailward of Earth and molecular ions were in the plasma sheet prior to geomagnetic intensification onset.
Document ID
19950045571
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
External Source(s)
Authors
Christon, S. P.
(Univ. of Maryland, College Park, MD United States)
Gloeckler, G.
(Univ. of Maryland, College Park, MD United States)
Williams, D. J.
(Johns Hopkins Univ. Laurel, MD, United States)
Mukai, T.
(Inst. of Space and Astronautical Sciences Sagamihara, Japan)
Mcentire, R. W.
(Johns Hopkins Univ. Laurel, MD, United States)
Jacquey, C.
(Johns Hopkins Univ. Laurel, MD, United States)
Angelopoulos, V.
(Johns Hopkins Univ. Laurel, MD, United States)
Lui, A. T. Y.
(Johns Hopkins Univ. Laurel, MD, United States)
Kokubun, S.
(Nagoya Univ. Tokyokawa, Japan)
Fairfield, D. H.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Date Acquired
August 16, 2013
Publication Date
December 15, 1994
Publication Information
Publication: Geophysical Research Letters
Volume: 21
Issue: 25
ISSN: 0094-8276
Subject Category
Geophysics
Accession Number
95A77170
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other

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