Abstract It is shown that one can understand the basic properties of the quiet distant Earth's / and Jupiter's magnetotails as seen in the ISEE-3 / and Voyager-2 data (at distances ∼ 200 RE / and ∼ 6 000 RJ correspondingly behind the planets) within a simple hydromagnetic model with a partially “open” boundary. The degree of openness required to explain the lobe densities (≳ 10−1 / ≳ 10−2 cm−3) is ∼ 10−1 in both cases. This gives the average lobe magnetic field intensities: 8–9 / 0–0.5 nT. The tail flaring rate decreases at ∼ 100 RE / ∼ 1 000 RJ, and for larger distances non-circular tails are obtained with the average diameters ∼ 60 RE / ∼ 600 RJ, in agreement with the data. The degree of flattening (east-west to north-south ratio) is 1.2–2.3 / 4–10 depending on the pressure anisotropy in the solar wind. The expected lengths of the magnetic tails of Mercury, Saturh, Uranus are: 10–50 RM, (1–7)×103 RS, (1–6) × 103 RU, in corresponding planetary radii.


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    Title :

    Planetary magnetotails: Model based on ISEE-3 and voyager-2 evidence


    Contributors:

    Published in:

    Publication date :

    1986-01-01


    Size :

    7 pages




    Type of media :

    Article (Journal)


    Type of material :

    Electronic Resource


    Language :

    English



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