Behavior of Ionized Plasma in the High Latitude Topside Ionosphere

We have developed a numerical model to study the steady state behavior of a fully ionized plasma (H+, O+ and the electrons) encompassing the geomagnetic field lines. The theoretical formulation is based on the 16-moment system of transport equations. The electron gas is collision is dominated below...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Ganguli,S G, Mitchell,H G , Jr, Palmadesso,P J
Format: Report
Language:English
Subjects:
ADIABATIC CONDITIONS
Adiabatic cooling
ANISOTROPY
Atmospheric Physics
BEHAVIOR
COOLING
ELECTRON ENERGY
ELECTRON GAS
ELECTRONS
EQUATIONS
FORMULATIONS
GASES
GEOMAGNETISM
HIGH LATITUDES
HYDROGEN
IONIZATION
IONIZED GASES
IONOSPHERE
IONS
MAGNETIC FIELDS
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
MOMENTS
PE61153N
Plasma Physics and Magnetohydrodynamics
PLASMAS(PHYSICS)
POLAR REGIONS
Polar wind
SOLUTIONS(GENERAL)
STEADY STATE
SUPERSONIC CHARACTERISTICS
TEMPERATURE
TRANSPORT PROPERTIES
WIND
WUDN380475
WUDN430607
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Summary:We have developed a numerical model to study the steady state behavior of a fully ionized plasma (H+, O+ and the electrons) encompassing the geomagnetic field lines. The theoretical formulation is based on the 16-moment system of transport equations. The electron gas is collision is dominated below 2500 km. Above this altitude electron temperature anisotropy develops with temperature perpendicular to the field line being higher than that parallel to the field line. The H+ ion temperature anisotropy shows H+ temperature parallel to the field line being higher than that perpendicular to the field line. H+ ion temperature also exhibits adiabatic cooling as to the supersonic ion gas cools down as it expands in a diverging magnetic field. Our results are in good agreement with the pervious theoretical studies of the polar wind and recent experimental observations. This is the first successful steady state solution to the 16-moment set of transport equations. Keywords include: Polar wind, Temperature anisotropy, and Adiabatic cooling.