Theory and measurements of the cusp/magnetopause current layer
| dc.contributor.advisor | Winningham, J. David | en_US |
| dc.creator | Keith, Wayne Russell | en_US |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2009-06-04T06:45:45Z | en_US |
| dc.date.available | 2009-06-04T06:45:45Z | en_US |
| dc.date.issued | 2001 | en_US |
| dc.description.abstract | This thesis employs low-altitude satellite data taken in the northern and southern dayside magnetospheric cusps in order to determine if the magnetopause current layer has a continuous and identifiable footprint at low altitudes. The magnetopause current layer, at the outermost edge of the magnetosphere, is the site of interconnection between the Earth's geomagnetic field and the Interplanetary Magnetic Field of the magnetosheath. It is an active region in which the normal MHD assumptions cannot hold. Data from eight near-polar orbiting spacecraft are compared with predictions of a small wedge-shaped cusp at the dayside boundary of the polar cap. Precipitating particle data as well as high-energy particles, fields, and wave data are shown which are consistent with predicted features. A kinetic raytracing model and statistical survey of Astrid-2 and DMSP satellite data were also undertaken as part of this work and show this feature to be persistent and dependent on the IMF angle at the magnetopause, as expected. The study of this feature may lend new insight into the dynamics of the cusp and magnetospheric particle entry. | en_US |
| dc.format.extent | 111 p. | en_US |
| dc.format.mimetype | application/pdf | en_US |
| dc.identifier.callno | THESIS PHYS. 2001 KEITH | en_US |
| dc.identifier.citation | Keith, Wayne Russell. "Theory and measurements of the cusp/magnetopause current layer." (2001) Diss., Rice University. <a href="https://hdl.handle.net/1911/17989">https://hdl.handle.net/1911/17989</a>. | en_US |
| dc.identifier.uri | https://hdl.handle.net/1911/17989 | en_US |
| dc.language.iso | eng | en_US |
| dc.rights | Copyright is held by the author, unless otherwise indicated. Permission to reuse, publish, or reproduce the work beyond the bounds of fair use or other exemptions to copyright law must be obtained from the copyright holder. | en_US |
| dc.subject | Astronomy | en_US |
| dc.subject | Astrophysics | en_US |
| dc.subject | Plasma physics | en_US |
| dc.title | Theory and measurements of the cusp/magnetopause current layer | en_US |
| dc.type | Thesis | en_US |
| dc.type.material | Text | en_US |
| thesis.degree.department | Physics | en_US |
| thesis.degree.discipline | Natural Sciences | en_US |
| thesis.degree.grantor | Rice University | en_US |
| thesis.degree.level | Doctoral | en_US |
| thesis.degree.name | Doctor of Philosophy | en_US |
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