SM32A-04
Long-lived plasmaspheric plumes: What is the source of the plasma?
Wednesday, 16 December 2015: 11:05
2018 (Moscone West)
Michael Denton1,2, Joseph Borovsky1,3, Michelle F Thomsen4 and Daniel T Welling5, (1)Space Science Institute, Boulder, CO, United States, (2)New Mexico Consortium, Los Alamos, NM, United States, (3)University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States, (4)Planetary Science Institute Tucson, Tucson, AZ, United States, (5)University of Michigan Ann Arbor, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
Abstract:
Magnetospheric Plasma Analyzer (MPA) instruments on-board Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) satellites regularly measures cold ions in the plasmasphere, and in plasmaspheric plumes. Following periods of calm geomagnetic conditions, the plasmasphere fills to ion number densities in excess of 100 cm-3 - these ions corotate with the Earth. During enhanced convection the outer plasmasphere is eroded - these ions are convected to the dayside magnetopause. LANL/MPA instruments regularly measure plumes which last for many days. On occasion, plumes can last more than two weeks. Such observations raise questions as to the production mechanisms that can continually supply high-number-density material to geosynchronous orbit, and onwards to the magnetopause. We will discuss the plume observations by LANL/MPA, improvements in theoretical modeling of the refilling process, and the need for in-situ observations (from TEC, satellites, etc.) required to address this problem.
