title: Theory of weak bipolar fields and electron holes with applications to space plasmas.
abstract: A theoretical model of weak electron phase-space holes is used to interpret bipolar field structures observed in space. In the limit ephi(max)/Te << 1 the potential of the structure has the unique form, phi(x) = phi(max)sech4(x/alpha), where phi(max) depends on the derivative of the trapped distribution at the separatrix, while alpha depends only on a screening integral over the untrapped distribution. Idealized trapped and passing electron distributions are inferred from the speed, amplitude, and shape of satellite waveform measurements of weak bipolar field structures.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics and CIPS, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309, USA.
authors.forename: Martin V
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Goldman
authors.forename: David L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Newman
authors.forename: André
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mangeney