Current Systems
Currents in a magnetosphere are like veins in the human body. They carry particles from one region to another. There are three main currents in a magnetosphere.
- Chapman-Ferraro currents (in green)
- cross-tail currents (in blue)
- Field-Aligned currents (FAC's) in red)
The Chapman-Ferraro currents go around the outside of the magnetosphere and confine it.
Cross-tail currents pass through the center of the magnetotail, so that region is known as the "current sheet".
Field-Aligned currents show up sometimes (during magnetic storms), when particles need to take a short cut through a planet's atmosphere. These currents cause the aurora at the north and south p
oles.
Return to "What is a Magnetosphere?"
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