HR: 11:35h
AN: SM12B-06    [Abstracts]
TI: Central Current Sheet Ion Distribution Function Signatures of Nonlinear Charged Particle Dynamics
AU: * Holland, D L
EM: holland@phy.ilstu.edu
AF: Illinois State University Department of Physics, 313C Moulton Hall, Normal, IL 61790-4560, United States
AU: Bush, C J
EM: cbush@phy.ilstu.edu
AF: Illinois State University Department of Physics, 313C Moulton Hall, Normal, IL 61790-4560, United States
AB: We have recently developed a forward in time test particle code for calculating ion distribution functions throughout the entire current sheet. The code use a time of flight binning algorithm and normalizes the contribution of each particle to its phase space contribution in the asymptotic magnetic field region. We have bench marked the code in the asymptotic field region against our previous results and show that the characteristic ion distribution signature of nonlinear particle dynamics in a current sheet are reproduced with the new algorithm. We have also used the code to examine the ion distribution function in the central current sheet and found that the energy resonance signature is present throughout the sheet. The presence of the signature throughout the entire sheet is significant in that typically the best observational measurements come from near the field reversal whereas the majority of the theoretically constructed distribution functions are in the asymptotic field region. In addition, we are currently applying the code to look for potential signatures of new discovered resonance phenomenon in which the integral region of phase space expands and contracts as a function of energy.
DE: 2744 Magnetotail
DE: 2764 Plasma sheet
DE: 7807 Charged particle motion and acceleration
SC: SPA-Magnetospheric Physics [SM]
MN: 2007 Fall Meeting