Study of ionosphere-magnetosphere plasma coupling by using a simple model and pic-simulation

Abstract

The lowest part of the Earth's magnetosphere and the highest part of the ionosphere are modeled as a periodic magnetized multispecies plasma. At the edge between these systems, which is not a real edge as in plasma devices, a coupling between magnetosphere and ionosphere takes place through precipitation and thermalization of some of the plasma species. The electrostatic, energetic and oscillatory properties at this “edge” are studied by considering 5 models for the magnetosphere-ionosphere system within an electrostatic PIC-simulation code (ES1). The oscillatory behavior of these plasma systems is investigated showing both stable and unstable oscillations. The characteristic parameters such as linear growth rates, the Landau damping rate, and the oscillation periods (frequencies) are given. The influence of the heavy “dusty” ions is observed.