Publication Date:
2011-08-24
Description:
A comprehensive study is conducted of traveling compression regions (TCRs) in the distant magnetotail; a total of 116 TCRs were studied from ISEE 3 observations. Strong support is obtained for the interpretation of TCRs as large-scale compressions of the lobes that are caused by the rapid downtail motion of plasmoids. TCRs furnish information on the 3D shape and volume of the plasmoid bulge. The close association noted between the substorm expansion phase onset and the TCRs provides strong support for the plasmoid model of magnetotail dynamics.
Keywords:
GEOPHYSICS
Type:
Journal of Geophysical Research (ISSN 0148-0227); 98; A9; p. 15,425-15,446.
Format:
text