A determination of the charge state of energetic magnetospheric ions by the observation of drift echoes

Autor: Daniel N. Baker, P. R. Higbie, Joseph F. Fennell, R. D. Belian, J. B. Blake
Rok vydání: 1983
Předmět:
Zdroj: Geophysical Research Letters. 10:1211-1214
ISSN: 0094-8276
Popis: The mean charge states of heavy ions trapped in the earth's magnetosphere are important parameters for distinguishing among magnetospheric theories. No direct measurements have been made at energies greater than ∼ 50 keV. A technique, which uses the E/q dependence of ion drift velocity, is described in this letter. A drift-echo event, which followed a substorm that occurred at 2100-2200 UT on 25 February 1979, is discussed to illustrate the application of this technique. In this event the charge state of helium ions was +2 and CNO ions was > +2 and probably ≥ +5. This result implies that the drift-echo particles were from freshly injected solar-wind plasma.
Databáze: OpenAIRE