Direct observation of localized parallel electric fields in a space plasma.
We report direct measurements of parallel electric fields related to particle acceleration in a collisionless space plasma. The electric field is that of a monotonic potential ramp localized to approximately 10 debye lengths along the magnetic field. Electrons accelerated by the parallel electric field are accompanied by intense electrostatic waves and nonlinear structures interpreted as electron phase-space holes.
Ergun
R E
RE
The Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado 80309, USA.
Su
Y J
YJ
Andersson
L
L
Carlson
C W
CW
McFadden
J P
JP
Mozer
F S
FS
Newman
D L
DL
Goldman
M V
MV
Strangeway
R J
RJ