plasmasphere

(plaz -mă-sfeer) A small toroidal region of plasma, primarily protons and electrons, that lies within the Earth's magnetosphere above the ionosphere. The plasma is produced by the action of the Sun's ultraviolet radiation and X-rays on molecules, etc., in the upper atmosphere. The plasmasphere is bounded by the plasmapause, where the plasma density drops abruptly.

Collins Dictionary of Astronomy © Market House Books Ltd, 2006

plasmasphere

[′plaz·mə‚sfir]

(geophysics)

A region of relatively dense, cold plasma surrounding the earth and extending out to altitudes of approximately 2 to 6 earth radii, composed predominantly of electrons and protons, with thermal energies not exceeding several electronvolts.

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References in periodicals archive

It orbited the earth around the north and south poles at an altitude of 650 kilometres, producing the first comprehensive images of the plasma in the earth's inner magnetosphere, or plasmasphere. Though astrophysicists know that the magnetospehere responds to solar winds when those winds reach speeds of several hundred kilometers per hour, they're still trying to "understand the actual mechanism in fine detail," Hayes said.

'Zombie' comeback

Nevertheless, the goal remains to create a world-class, operational solar radar capable of monitoring not only solar echoes despite noisy radio bursts but also the ionosphere, plasmasphere, radiation belts, and the magnetosphere.

A solar radar for space-weather forecasting

Jakowski and S.Heise, "A new method for reconstruction of the vertical electron density distribution in the upper ionosphere and plasmasphere", Journal of Geophysical Research, Vol.

A STUDY OF THE SEASONAL VARIATION OF IONOSPHERIC ELECTRON DENSITY OVER BAGHDAD (A CASE STUDY)

Another scenario is that the giant cloud of cold, electrically charged gas called the plasmasphere, which begins about 600 miles above Earth and stretches thousands of miles into the outer Van Allen belt, is scattering the electrons at the boundary with low frequency, electromagnetic waves that create a plasmapheric "hiss," said Baker.

Invisible Shield Found Thousands of Miles above Earth Blocks 'Killer Electrons'

The Earth's ionosphere model: international reference ionosphere (IRI) model and extensions to the plasmasphere. * BS EN 50125-1 Railway applications.

Latest standards in the field of environmental testing

It also carries a telescope to observe the dense torus of ion-ized gas encircling Earth, called the plasmasphere.

Missions i china lands lunar rover

Warnant, "A new method for reconstruction of the vertical electron density distribution in the upper ionosphere and plasmasphere," Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics, vol.

Variations of scale height at F-region peak based on ionosonde measurements during solar maximum over the crest of equatorial ionization anomaly region

The report said that for the first time in human history, a telescope will also be set up on the moon to observe the plasmasphere over the Earth and survey the moon surface through radar.

China launches lunar probe with Jade Rabbit

-- Discoveries: plasmaspheric shoulders and notches, proton auroras in unexpected places, surprisingly slow plasmasphere rotation, a hot oxygen geocorona and a secondary interstellar neutral atom stream.

NASA IMAGE MISSION ENDS

Another IMAGE device has taken the first global picture of the electrically charged layer, called the plasmasphere, that extends into space from Earth's upper atmosphere.

Forecast: Heavy winds, plasma showers