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Robertson & Cravens 2003
Robertson, I.P. and Cravens, T.E. (2003). X-ray emission from the terrestrial magnetosheath. Geophysical Research Letters 30: doi: 10.1029/2002GL016740. issn: 0094-8276.

X-rays are generated throughout the terrestrial magnetosheath as a consequence of charge transfer collisions between heavy solar wind ions and geocoronal neutrals. The solar wind ions resulting from these collisions are left in highly excited states and emit extreme ultraviolet or soft X-ray photons. A model has been created to simulate this X-ray radiation. Published terrestrial exospheric hydrogen distributions and solar wind speed, density and temperature distributions were used in this model. Simulated images were created as seen from an observation point outside the geocorona. The locations of the bow shock and magnetopause are evident in these images. Perhaps this X-ray emission can be used to remotely sense the solar wind flow around the magnetosphere. Since similar X-rays are produced in the heliosphere, the challenge will be, however, to eliminate this background emission.

BACKGROUND DATA FILES

Abstract

Keywords
Magnetospheric Physics, Magnetopause, cusp, and boundary layers, Magnetospheric Physics, Solar wind/magnetosphere interactions, Interplanetary Physics, Solar wind plasma, Atmospheric Composition and Structure, Airglow and aurora
Journal
Geophysical Research Letters
http://www.agu.org/journals/gl/
Publisher
American Geophysical Union
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