EFFECT OF DIURNAL CONVECTION ON TRAPPED THERMAL PLASMA IN THE OUTER PLASMASPHERE

A kinetic, multi-species model of the plasmasphere is constructed that includes the effect of convection and corotation electric fields on t rapped particles in drifting flux tubes. The resulting morphology of t he outer plasmasphere is significantly different from the morphology o btained using the assumption of diffusive equilibrium. The difference is due primarily to the contraction and expansion of the region of vel ocity space accessible to the trapped particles, and has implications for the interpretation of remote sensing experiments.