Laboratory experiments directed toward the investigation of magnetospheric phenomena

Abstract

The penetration of fast electrons (∼ 5 keV) into an artificial magnetosphere and their precipitation on the terrella surface is investigated. These fast electrons act as ‘radioactive tracers’ allowing the experimental determination of the global picture of plasma flow around the magnetosphere and its intrusion into the latter. Two different zones of precipitation are observed, distinctly separated on the day-side and merging into each other on the night-side. The high latitude penetration region on the day-side is not localized around the ‘neutral’ points, but is stretched in longitude forming polar cusps toward dusk and dawn. The lower latitude precipitation zone, embracing the whole terrella is due to the particle precipitation from a radiation belt formed in this experiment. The source of these belt particles seems to be located in the plasmasheet on the night side. Besides the polar cusps, a plasma intrusion from the sides of the magnetosphere in the equatorial region is observed. This equatorial ‘gap’, originating on the day-side, is gradually transformed into the plasmasheet in the magnetospheric tail. On the basis of these experimental data a model of the magnetosphere is discussed.