Plasmaspheric density structures and dynamics: Properties observed by the CLUSTER and IMAGE missions
View/ Open
Authors
Darrouzet, F.
Gallagher, D.L.
André, N.
Carpenter, D.L.
Dandouras, I.
Décréau, P.M.E.
De Keyser, J.
Denton, R.E.
Foster, J.C.
Goldstein, J.
Moldwin, M.B.
Reinisch, B.W.
Sandel, B.R.
Tu, J.
Discipline
Physical sciences
Subject
CLUSTER
Density images
Density structures
Erosion process
Four-point
Four-point measurements
IMAGE
In-situ measurement
New results
Plasma structure
Plasmasphere
Spatial gradients
Dynamics
Magnetosphere
Audience
Scientific
Date
2009Metadata
Show full item recordDescription
Plasmaspheric density structures have been studied since the discovery of the plasmasphere in the late 1950s. But the advent of the CLUSTER and IMAGE missions in 2000 has added substantially to our knowledge of density structures, thanks to the new capabilities of those missions: global imaging with IMAGE and four-point in situ measurements with CLUSTER. The study of plasma sources and losses has given new results on refilling rates and erosion processes. Two-dimensional density images of the plasmasphere have been obtained. The spatial gradient of plasmaspheric density has been computed. The ratios between H +, He + and O + have been deduced from different ion measurements. Plasmaspheric plumes have been studied in detail with new tools, which provide information on their morphology, dynamics and occurrence. Density structures at smaller scales have been revealed with those missions, structures that could not be clearly distinguished before the global images from IMAGE and the four-point measurements by CLUSTER became available. New terms have been given to these structures, like "shoulders", "channels", "fingers" and "crenulations". This paper reviews the most relevant new results about the plasmaspheric plasma obtained since the start of the CLUSTER and IMAGE missions. © 2009 Springer Science+Business Media B.V.
Citation
Darrouzet, F.; Gallagher, D.L.; André, N.; Carpenter, D.L.; Dandouras, I.; Décréau, P.M.E.; De Keyser, J.; Denton, R.E.; Foster, J.C.; Goldstein, J.; Moldwin, M.B.; Reinisch, B.W.; Sandel, B.R.; Tu, J. (2009). Plasmaspheric density structures and dynamics: Properties observed by the CLUSTER and IMAGE missions. , Space Science Reviews, Vol. 145, Issue 1-2, 55-106, DOI: 10.1007/s11214-008-9438-9.Identifiers
scopus: 2-s2.0-77955223432
Type
Article
Peer-Review
Yes
Language
eng