ESA Science & Technology - First current density measurements in the ring current region using simultaneous multi-spacecraft CLUSTER-FGM data

Publication date: 29 July 2005

Authors: Vallat, C., et al.

Journal: Annales Geophysicae
Volume: 23
Issue: 5
Page: 1849-1865
Year: 2005

The inner magnetosphere's current mapping is one of the key elements for current loop closure inside the entire magnetosphere. A method for directly computing the current is the multi-spacecraft curlometer technique, which is based on the application of Maxwell-Ampère's law. This requires the use of four-point magnetic field high resolution measurements. The FGM experiment on board the four Cluster spacecraft allows, for the first time, an instantaneous calculation of the magnetic field gradients and thus a measurement of the local current density.