ISSN:
1420-9136
Keywords:
Plasmasphere
;
ring current
;
“wave-particle” interaction
;
quasilinear theory
;
ion-cyclotron waves
;
collision frequency
;
source of heating
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Geosciences
,
Physics
Notes:
Abstract In the framework of a quasilinear theory we examine the interaction between thermal electrons and ion-cyclotron waves (ICW) in the outer plasmasphere of the earth. For this type of ‘wave-particle’ interaction, a simplification of the quasilinear diffusion integral in a magneto-active plasma under plasmaspheric conditions is given. Under the assumption of a Maxwellian distribution of electrons we have calculated the collision frequency and the heating source as the electrons are scattered by ICW. The obtained values of intrinsic parameters of the outer plasmasphere may exceed greatly, accordingly, the Coulomb frequency of collisions and the heating source due to suprathermal electrons. ICW-heating causes the ionosphereward thermal flux to increase, and this must lead to an increase in electron temperature in lower-lying plasmaspheric regions and in the subauroral ionosphere. A quantitative estimation of the electron temperature for the ‘hot zone’, made in this paper, is consistent with available experimental data.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF00879825
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