Abstract It has been suggested from observations that sometimes expansion phase of a substorm appears to be initiated when the IMF polarity turns from southward to northward. This paper addresses theoretically the dynamics of the magnetotail at a northward turning of IMF with a purpose of understanding why onset of the expansion phase could be triggered. Enhancement of the plasma pressure in the near-earth region of the tail due to stacking of flux tubes is suggested as a possible cause. This is compared with the causative mechanism of the expansion phases which occur more commonly during intervals of the southward IMF. In the Appendix single-particle and fluid descriptions of particle acceleration in the magnetotail are compared and an apparent paradox is resolved.
Structural change of magnetotail following northward turning of IMF
Advances in Space Research ; 6 , 1 ; 259-267
1986-01-01
9 pages
Aufsatz (Zeitschrift)
Elektronische Ressource
Englisch
Unexpected vertical current sheets in the magnetotail associated with northward IMF
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|NTRS | 1986
|Elsevier | 1986
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