HR: 17:45h
AN: SM34A-08    [Abstracts]
TI: Unusual Density Structures in the Outer Plasmasphere Near the Magnetic Equator
AU: * Gallagher, D L
EM: dennis.l.gallagher@nasa.gov
AF: NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, NSSTC, XD12 320 Sparkman Drive, Huntsville, AL 35805 United States
AU: Green, J L
SM34A-08 AF: NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Code 630 Building 26, Room 143B, Greenbelt, MD 20771 United States
AU: Reinisch, B W
SM34A-08 AF: University of Massachusetts, Environmental, Earth, and Atmospheric Sciences Department, Center for Atmospheric Research, Lowell, MA 01854 United States
AU: Huang, X
SM34A-08 AF: University of Massachusetts, Environmental, Earth, and Atmospheric Sciences Department, Center for Atmospheric Research, Lowell, MA 01854 United States
AU: Smith, Z B
SM34A-08 AF: University of Alabama in Huntsville, Center for Space Plasma & Aeronomic Research , Huntsville, AL 35899 United States
AB: The magnetic equator has long been known as a region of interaction between plasma populations, particularly through plasma waves. Here microphysical processes may participate in the isotropization of field-aligned outflowing ionospheric plasma that repopulates magnetic field lines evacuated by the storm-time enhanced convection electric field. Olsen et al. [1987] reported direct evidence for trapped H+ ions at the magnetic equator in the presence of ion cyclotron and/or lower hybrid waves. They further reported no corresponding variation in total density, except for an occasional dip in density at the magnetic equator. IMAGE radio plasma imager (RPI) and extreme ultraviolet imager (EUV) measurements, of H+ and He+ respectively, appear to suggest the presence of enhanced equatorial plasma density in the outer plasmasphere during storm recovery times. Some field refilling models postulate the transient existence of field-aligned density structures, which have not so far been observed. We will present the results of RPI and EUV analysis of these observed outer plasmaspheric features and discuss the implications in light of past observations and theory.
DE: 2730 Magnetosphere: inner
DE: 2736 Magnetosphere/ionosphere interactions (2431)
DE: 2768 Plasmasphere
SC: SPA-Magnetospheric Physics [SM]
MN: Fall Meeting 2005