Nonlinear stability of the near-Earth plasma sheet during substorms: 9 February 1995 event

Abstract

It has been previously demonstrated that several minutes prior to an onset of a magnetospheric substorm the near-Earth plasma sheet becomes unstable to resonance-type perturbations. The next logical step, examined here, is an assumption that the velocity shear in the resonance would lead to a development of a Kelvin–Helmholtz (KH) instability. Using a Grad-Shafranov equilibrium constrained by CANOPUS data, we analyze the stability properties of the near-Earth plasma sheet in the presence of a field-line resonance-generated KH instability at around 10 Earth radii. The results of the analysis are in general agreement with observations and computer modeling of substorms. As a part of the analysis, we discuss the importance of the proper distinction between the stability properties of the magnetotail, and the trigger mechanism responsible for the instability. While these two aspects of a substorm may be (and likely are) related, it is possible that they involve different types of processes that work in a complementary fashion. PACS Nos.: 06.54, 27.40, 27.72, 27.88