Magnetosheath bursts of predominantly medium nuclei observed with Imp 8 on February 16, 1974
This paper presents observations made with detectors aboard Imp 8 of a unique series of charged particle bursts that occurred on February 16, 1974, while the spacecraft was traversing the dawn magnetosheath region. This event was unlike any other observation of Imp 7 and 8 in 5.5 years of operation in orbit. The measurements are most directly interpreted as an intense (6000/(sq cm s sr MeV/nucleon)), highly collimated beam flowing in the antisolar direction composed of medium (carbon, nitrogen, or oxygen) nuclei. Both the degree of collimation in arrival direction and the composition are unique to this event. The event is possibly an important signature of terrestrial O(+) ions escaping from the magnetosphere.