Yershkovich, A. I. | Search NASA

NASA NTRS1974

Certain problems in the physics of the magnetosphere

A review of experimental and theoretical studies devoted to analysis of physical processes in the magnetosphere is presented. Attention is focused on the interrelationships among the most important geophysical phenomena in the magnetosphere: magnetic storms, auroras, the radiation belts, and processes in the geomagnetic tail. Recommendations are submitted for future experiments that are needed for development of a theory of magnetospheric phenomena.

Yershkovich, A. I.↗

NASA NTRS1974

Vibrations of the earth's magnetic tail

The natural vibration period of the tail (regarded as bundle of magnetic line-of-force strings) and the characteristic time of recurrence of magnetospheric substorms are of the same order, suggesting the possibility of a relation between these phenomena. A model of the tail in the form of a plasma cylinder whose free boundary is immersed in the interplanetary plasma is examined. The nature of the natural oscillations of the tail excited by variations of the solar wind pressure is studied in this model. These vibrations have a total energy of approximately 10 to the 22nd power erg, which is sufficient to generate magnetospheric substorms.

Yershkovich, A. I.↗