Simulation of plasmaspheric density distributions along plasmaspheric field
lines as measured by IMAGE/RPI 

Horwitz, J.L., Tu, J., Song, P., Huang, X., Reinisch, B.M., Richards, P.G.  

The IMAGE spacecraft experiment suite includes the Radio Plasma Imager (RPI)
which remotely sounds the large scale magnetospheric plasma environment through
transmission of sweep frequency radio signals, and reception of echoes. An
unexpected and fortuitous phenomenon is that the transmitted signals often
propagate large distances along magnetic field lines; thus the return echoes
for different frequencies and their delay times measured by IMAGE/RPI allow
detailed measurement of the plasma density distribution along these magnetic
field lines. Typically this capability extends down to ionospheric altitudes in
both hemispheres from the satellite location within 10-20 degrees magnetic
latitude of the magnetic equator. Such near-simultaneous extended density
measurements along magnetic field lines offer a new and exciting opportunity to
compare detailed simulations of plasmasphere plasma distribution and transport
along flux tubes with relevant density distribution measurements. In this
presentation, we will describe such simulations, using the Field Line
Interhemispheric Plasma (FLIP) model, and their comparisons to the RPI density
measurements. Such comparisons will be discussed chiefly in terms of systematic
considerations of plasmasphere replenishment following magnetic storms, level
and location of ion and electron heating. 

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To be presented at the Western Pacific Geophysical Meeting, 
Wellington, New Zealand, 9-12 July 2002.