The ring current.

Abstract

The topology of delta-B (i.e., the observed scalar magnetic field intensity minus a scalar reference field intensity) in the magnetosphere has been established by the Rb magnetometer observations on OGO's 3 and 5. This delta-B topology provides a convenient framework, on the basis of which the complex features found by the earlier magnetic field observations made by Explorers 10, 12, 14, 26 and Electron 2 can be reinterpreted to fit a unified simple picture of the magnetospheric field distortions including the inflation of the equatorial magnetosphere by the ring current. It is proposed that the quiet-time ring current consists of two parts, the inner ring current imbedded deeply inside the plasmapause and the outer ring current flowing in the plasma sheet.