Earth's Magnetosphere

Formed by the Low-Latitude Boundary Layer

1st Edition - August 13, 2011
Author: Walter Heikkila
Language: English
Hardback ISBN:
9 7 8 - 0 - 4 4 4 - 5 2 8 6 4 - 3
Paperback ISBN:
9 7 8 - 0 - 4 4 4 - 5 6 2 1 2 - 8
eBook ISBN:
9 7 8 - 0 - 0 8 - 0 9 3 1 6 5 - 4

The author argues that, after five decades of debate about the interactive of solar wind with the magnetosphere, it is time to get back to basics. Starting with Newton's law, th… Read more

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The author argues that, after five decades of debate about the interactive of solar wind with the magnetosphere, it is time to get back to basics. Starting with Newton's law, this book also examines Maxwell's equations and subsidiary equations such as continuity, constitutive relations and the Lorentz transformation; Helmholtz' theorem, and Poynting's theorem, among other methods for understanding this interaction.

Dedication
Kiruna Meeting
Prologue
Acknowledgements
Chapter 1. Historical introduction

1.1. Early history
1.2. International Geophysical Year (IGY)
1.3. International Magnetospheric Study
1.4. Electric and magnetic fields in space
1.5. Reference frames and frozen fields
1.6. Coronal expansion
1.7. Solar wind
1.8. Magnetosheath
1.9. Magnetopause
1.10. Cause and effect at the magnetopause
1.11. Low-Latitude Boundary Layer
1.12. Discovery of the radiation belt
1.13. The ionosphere
1.14. High frequency wave propagation
1.15. Polar cap during southward Interplanetary Magnetic Field (IMF)
1.16. The aurora and substorms
1.17. Discussion

Chapter 2. Approximate methods

2.1. Need for approximate methods
2.2. Circuit analysis
2.3. Basic magnetohydrodynamic equations
2.4. Example of MHD for magnetospheric research
2.5. Discussion
2.6. Summary

Chapter 3. Helmholtz’s theorem

3.1. Introduction
3.2. Helmholtz’s theorem
3.3. Maxwell’s equations
3.4. Gauss’s law
3.5. Gauge conditions
3.6. Electrodynamics
3.7. Sporadic magnetopause beams
3.8. Particle simulation in 1-D
3.9. Exceptional electron beam observation
3.10. Other observations of energisation
3.11. Discussion
3.12. Summary

Chapter 4. Poynting’s energy conservation theorem

4.1. Introduction
4.2. The electric displacement: D field
4.3. The magnetic field H
4.4. Poynting’s theorem
4.5. Discussion
4.6. Plasma transfer event seen by Cluster
4.7. Three systems
4.8. Scientific paradigms
4.9. Summary

Chapter 5. Magnetopause

5.1. Introduction
5.2. Solar wind – magnetopause interaction
5.3. ISEE observations
5.4. Profile of magnetopause electron temperature
5.5. Impulsive penetration
5.6. Flux transfer event
5.7. Cluster observations of plasma transfer
5.8. Plasma transfer event
5.9. Skimming orbit of GEOTAIL
5.10. Electric field at high sampling rates
5.11. Discussion
5.12. Summary

Chapter 6. High-altitude cusps

6.1. Introduction
6.2. The magnetosheath
6.3. The cusp throat
6.4. Transfer events
6.5. Cusp energetic particles
6.6. Exterior cusp
6.7. Discussion
6.8. Summary

Chapter 7. Low-latitude boundary layer

7.1. Introduction
7.2. Comprehensive investigation of low-latitude boundary layer
7.3. Studies with better resolution
7.4. Plasma transfer event
7.5. Identification of cusp and cleft/low-latitude boundary layer
7.6. Qualitative description of low-latitude boundary layer
7.7. Topology of the magnetosphere
7.8. ISEE observations
7.9. Transient penetration
7.10. Massive flow in the boundary layer
7.11. Other observations of the low-latitude boundary layer
7.12. Polar cap during southward interplanetary magnetic field
7.13. Study with southward interplanetary magnetic field
7.14. Polar cap during northward interplanetary magnetic field
7.15. Penetration of interplanetary electric field into magnetosphere
7.16. A study with northward interplanetary magnetic field
7.17. Discussion
7.18. Summary

Chapter 8. Driving the plasma sheet

8.1. Introduction
8.2. Transfer of plasma and electric field
8.3. Plasma sheet from low altitude observations
8.4. Plasma sheet observations
8.5. Particle dynamics
8.6. Auroral current circuit
8.7. Key results from SuperDARN, CANOPUS
8.8. Large scale flow dynamics
8.9. Discussions
8.10. Summary

Chapter 9. Magnetospheric substorms

9.1. Introduction
9.2. Statistical description of the substorm
9.3. Two models as apparent alternatives
9.4. Substorm disturbance onsets
9.5. Substorm transfer event
9.6. Ion dynamics
9.7. Westward travelling surge
9.8. Bursty bulk flows
9.9. Observations of particle acceleration
9.10. Acceleration of cold plasma
9.11. Discussion
9.12. Summary

Chapter 10. Epilogue

10.1. Introduction
10.2. Main arguments in this book
10.3. Substorm transfer event
10.4. Four fundamental processes reexamined
10.5. Final summary

References
Color plates
Index

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Walter Heikkila