Plasmaspheric plumes: CRRES observations of enhanced density beyond the plasmapause

Abstract

CRRES plasma wave receiver density data were used to study the distribution and properties of dense plasmaspheric‐like plasma observed outside the plasmapause. Our study indicates that outer plasmaspheric structure, often called plasmaspheric plumes, blobs, tails, or detached plasma regions, can exist at all local times under all levels of geomagnetic activity. Of the 558 CRRES orbits that had at least one clearly defined plasmapause, 169 (or 30%) had plasmaspheric‐like density structures at higher L shells than the plasmapause. Most of the occurrences of plasmaspheric‐like plasma observed by CRRES were in the noon‐to‐dusk sector in the aftermath of enhanced geomagnetic activity consistent with plasmaspheric plume models.