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Scholer et al. 1989
Scholer, M., Möbius, E., Kistler, L.M., Klecker, B. and Ipavich, F.M. (1989). Multispacecraft observations of energetic ions upstream and downstream of the bow shock. Geophysical Research Letters 16: doi: 10.1029/89GL00939. issn: 0094-8276.

We present simultaneous measurements of energetic protons and alpha particles inside and outside of the magnetopause, immediately upstream, and downstream as well as further upstream of the bow shock. A comparison between the intensity at the bow shock and further upstream results in an e-folding distance at 30 keV of ~6.2 RE. After transformation of the angular distribution into the solar wind frame a diffusion coefficeint of &kgr;~3 RE is obtained from the anisotropy and the intensity gradient. Immediately downstream of the bow shock the anisotropy in the shock frame is directed toward the magnetopause. After transformation into the plasma rest frame the distribution is isotropic. The intensity in the magnetosheath just outside the magnetopause is smaller than the intensity behind the bow shock. Thus, in the magnetosheath there is no gradient or streaming in the upstream direction. The spectra, intensities, and relative abundances in the magnetosheath and inside the magnetosphere are totally different. These observations are consistent with first order Fermi acceleration at the bow shock and subsequent downstream convection, and exclude a magnetospheric source for these particles. ¿ American Geophysical Union 1989

BACKGROUND DATA FILES

Abstract

Keywords
Magnetospheric Physics, Magnetopause, cusp, and boundary layers
Journal
Geophysical Research Letters
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Publisher
American Geophysical Union
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