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Heavy Ion Energization, Transport, and Loss in the Earth’s Magnetosphere

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The Dynamic Magnetosphere

Part of the book series: IAGA Special Sopron Book Series ((IAGA,volume 3))

Abstract

The magnetic field of the Earth acts like a shield against the solar wind, leading to a magnetopause position many planetary radii away from the planet, in contrast to the situation at non- or weakly magnetized planets such as Mars and Venus. Despite this there is significant ion outflow from the cusp and polar cap regions of the Earth’s ionosphere. Effective interaction regions form, in particular in the ionospheric projection of the cusp, where ionospheric plasma flows up along the field-lines in response to magnetospheric energy input. Strong wave particle interaction at altitudes above the ionosphere further accelerates the particles so that gravity is overcome. For the particles to enter a direct escape path they must be accelerated along open magnetic field lines so that they cross the magnetopause or reach a distance beyond the return flow region in the tail. Else the Earth’s magnetic field will guide the transport of the particles back towards the Earth. This return flow may also be either lost to space or returned to the atmosphere. Throughout this transport chain the heating and acceleration experienced by the particles will have an influence on the final fate of the particles, as well as determine which populations can be measured by particle instruments. We will present quantitative estimates of centrifugal acceleration and perpendicular heating along the escape path from the cusp, through the high altitude polar cap/mantle. Finally we will compare this with the situation at the unmagnetized planets Mars and Venus and discuss to what extent a magnetic field protects an atmosphere from loss through solar wind interaction.

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  1. Swedish Institute of Space Physics, Kiruna, Sweden

    Hans Nilsson

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  1. Hans Nilsson
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  1. Spacecraft Engineering, Canadian Space Agency, route de l'Aeroport 6767, St.-Hubert, J3Y 8Y9, Québec, Canada

    William Liu

  2. Astronautical Science (ISAS), Institute of Space &, Yoshinodai 3-1-1, Sagamihara, Kanagawa, 229-8510, Japan

    Masaki Fujimoto

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Nilsson, H. (2011). Heavy Ion Energization, Transport, and Loss in the Earth’s Magnetosphere. In: Liu, W., Fujimoto, M. (eds) The Dynamic Magnetosphere. IAGA Special Sopron Book Series, vol 3. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-0501-2_17

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