The structure of the plasma sheet‐lobe boundary in the Earth's magnetotail

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
The structure of the magnetotail plasma sheet‐plasma lobe boundary is studied by observing the properties of tailward flowing O+ ion streams. These have been detected by the ISEE 2 plasma experiment and the ISEE 1 ion composition experiment inside the boundary during three time periods in April 1978; data from the ISEE 1 electron spectrometer are used to define the location of the boundary. The density of the O+ ion streams has a relative maximum, and their velocity has a relative minimum at the boundary. The xy drift velocity component across the local magnetic field reverses at the boundary, indicating a reversal of the Ez electric field component. These changes are consistent with the topology of the electric field lines in the tail as mapped from the ionosphere.