Kinetic properties of bursty bulk flow events

Citation
Lj. Chen et al., Kinetic properties of bursty bulk flow events, GEOPHYS R L, 27(13), 2000, pp. 1847-1850
Citations number
10
Categorie Soggetti
Earth Sciences
Journal title
GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS
ISSN journal
00948276 → ACNP
Volume
27
Issue
13
Year of publication
2000
Pages
1847 - 1850
Database
ISI
SICI code
0094-8276(20000701)27:13<1847:KPOBBF>2.0.ZU;2-Z
Abstract
Particle distributions of bursty bulk flow (BBF) events in the central plas ma sheet regions show that the high earthward mean velocity comes from a co mbination of energetic ion flux increases (>few keV) in the earthward direc tion and decreases of similar energy fluxes in the tailward direction. The energetic ion increases are observed to similar to few MeV during intense e vents, indicating the responsible mechanisms efficiently accelerate particl es. The BBF events are intimately tied to the dynamics of tail current shee t reconfiguration and for the two events discussed here, they occurred 45 m inutes and 5 minutes after the expansion onsets. The perception offered by our analysis differs from the earlier studies which described BBF events us ing MHD approach.