This picture shows that there is a small region in which the particles are trapped into a plasmasphere.
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T.S. Huang

Uranus' Plasmasphere

Uranus' plasmasphere is tiny. The rings of Uranus sweep away much of the particles in the area.

Particles enter the plasmasphere from the atmosphere as well as the magnetotail. Mathematical theory suggests that particles leave the plasmasphere by being swept directly into the atmosphere.

This figure shows the paths followed by plasma in the plasmasphere, and shows that the path collides with the atmosphere. There is only a small region in which the paths are self-contained, such that particles on those paths are trapped. This region constitutes the plasmasphere.


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