Characteristics of high-speed ion flows in the plasma sheet
Publication date: 02 March 1990
Authors: Baumjohann, W. et al.
Journal: Journal of Geophysical Research
Volume: 95
Page: 3801-3809
Year: 1990
Copyright: American Geophysical Union
The occurrence rates and typical characteristics of high-speed ion flows with velocities of 400-600 km/s are determined on the basis of the analysis of a large quantity of ion moments and magnetic field measurements acquired from the AMTE/IRM satellite data. It is determined that the occurrence rates in the plasma sheet boundary layer, the outer central plasma sheet and the neutral sheet neighborhood have 4:1:2 ratio, and they increase with AE in all three regions when going from low to moderate activity; that the largest occurrence rates are near the midnight meridian at the largest radial distances accessible to IRM; and that the high-speed flow occurrence rates and ion densities are anticorrelated. It is also determined that the high-speed flows are bursty, and their angular distribution is strongly peaked in the sunward direction. No tailward high speed ion flow was detected. Correlation between the obtained results and the existing models and theories is discussed.
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