Plasma waves in the distant magnetotail

Abstract

The results of an extensive study of plasma waves in the distant magnetotail on the basis of measurements from the Imp 8 spacecraft are discussed. The plasma measurements are compared with plasma and magnetic field measurements described by Frank et al. (1976) to study the relationship of the plasma waves to the various plasma regimes found in the distant magnetotail. Three distinctly different types of plasma wave turbulence in the distant magnetotail are detected. The first, most frequently occurring type of turbulence, consists of broadband electrostatic noise at frequencies between 10 Hz and a few kHz. The second, less frequent type of plasma wave turbulence consists of intense (100 milligamma) bursts of low frequency (10 to 300 Hz) magnetic noise. The third, least frequent type of turbulence consists of electrostatic waves near harmonics of the electron gyrofrequency.