SLAVIN, J; OWEN, C; KUZNETSOVA, M; (1995) ISEE 3 observations of plasmoids with flux rope magnectic topologies. Geophysical Research Letters , 22 (15) 2061 - 2064. 10.1029/95GL01977.

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Abstract

This paper reports new evidence for the existence of plasmoids with force‐free flux rope magnetic topologies. Motivated by the fact that force‐free magnetic flux ropes have intense axial fields at their centers, the ISEE 3 observations have been searched for plasma sheet intervals in which the magnetic field intensity exceeds that in the lobes by ≥10% for a minute or longer. A total of 39 “high field regions” were found which met this simple criterion. Further examination showed that they nearly always correspond to the core regions of plasmoids; i.e, intervals of bipolar Bz with durations of minutes, fast tailward flows and clear substorm associations. A new, more realistic plasmoid magnetic field model which represents the core region as a non‐linear force‐free flux rope was developed and validated using these events. Finally, observations suggesting that plasmoids evolve toward quasi‐force‐free flux rope configurations as they move down the tail are presented.

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