ALBERT

Description: Ionospheric plasma flowing out from the cusp can be an important source of plasma to the magnetosphere. One source of free energy that can drive this outflow is the injection of magnetosheath plasma into the cusp. Two-dimensional (three velocity) mesoscale particle simulations are used to investigate the particle dynamics in the cusp during southward interplanetary magnetic field. This mesoscale model self-consistently incorporates (1) global influences such as the convection of plasma across the cusp, the action of the mirror force, and the injection of the magnetosheath plasma, and (2) wave-particle interactions which produce the actual coupling between the magnetosheath and ionospheric plasmas. It is shown that, because the thermal speed of the electrons is higher than the bulk motion of the magnetosheath plasma, an upward current is formed on the equatorward edge of the injection region with return currents on either side. However, the poleward return currents are the stronger due to the convection and mirroring of many of the magnetosheath electrons. The electron distribution in this latter region evolves from upward directed streams to single-sided loss cones or possibly electron conics. The ion distribution also shows a variety of distinct features that are produced by spatial and/or temporal effects associated with varying convection patterns and wave-particle interactions. On the equatorward edge the distribution has a downflowing magnetosheath component and an upflowing cold ionospheric component due to continuous convection of ionospheric plasma into the region. In the center of the magnetosheath region, heating from the development of an ion-ion streaming instability causes the suppression of the cold ionospheric component and the formation of downward ionospheric streams. Further poleward there is velocity filtering of ions with low pitch angles, so that the magnetosheath ions develop a ring-beam distribution and the ensuing wave instabilities generate downward ionospheric conics. These downward ionospheric components are eventually turned by the mirror force, leading to the production of upward conics at elevated energies throughout the region.

Description: We present a detailed study of the highest-frequency component of smooth radio emission observed during the Voyager 2 encounter with Neptune in August 1989. This emission occurs during three distinct periods on August 24 and 25, 1989, in the frequency range of 550 to 900 kHz. By assuming straight-line propagation from sources of both fundamental and second harmonic gyroemission, we perform a detailed analysis of the observed polarization of the emission. The data are most consistent with an L-O mode source in the north magnetic polar region, around 50 deg W, 50 deg N. A second possible source is in the north magnetic polar region, around 270 deg W, 50 deg N. This source must emit in the R-X mode.

Description: In situ observations of the cusp/cleft are important as they allow a direct investigation of coupling solar wind energy to the ionosphere, plus they provide an opportunity for the remote sensing of the magnetopause. High time resolution observations from Dynamic Explorer 1 are used to investigate these processes. It is shown that in the spacecraft frame the injection is modulated or pulsating with a period of approximately 18-30 s with the injection duration possibly being as short as 6 s. This modulation indicates that there may be fast time scale and/or short scale length processes modulating the injection of the magnetosheath plasma across the magnetopause. In addition, the pulsating injection is seen to modulate the outflow of upwelling ionospheric ions to the magnetosphere. These upwelling ions are seen prior to the magnetosheath ion injection and therefore are not directly created by the injection. During the injection itself, the intensity of the upwelling ions is seen to dramatically decrease but their average energy increases. At end of the magnetosheath injections, the intensity of the upwelling ion flux is seen to increase to levels comparable to levels prior to the magnetosheath injection. On two occasions during the encounter, the particle fluxes are sufficiently high that enhanced downward flows of perpendicularly heated ions, of presumably ionospheric origin, are observed in association with a reduction in the intensity of the upwelling ions. These observations are probably the first detection of downward conics and suggest that there is momentum transfer between the magnetosheath and ionospheric ions. This momentum transfer eventually leads to an enhanced outflow of heated ionospheric plasma where their energy has been raised from a few tens of eV to a few hundred eV.