Articles | Volume 24, issue 6
https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-24-1479-2006
© Author(s) 2006. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.Bifurcation of Jovian magnetotail current sheet
Abstract. Multiple crossings of the magnetotail current sheet by a single spacecraft give the possibility to distinguish between two types of electric current density distribution: single-peaked (Harris type current layer) and double-peaked (bifurcated current sheet). Magnetic field measurements in the Jovian magnetic tail by Voyager-2 reveal bifurcation of the tail current sheet. The electric current density possesses a minimum at the point of the Bx-component reversal and two maxima at the distance where the magnetic field strength reaches 50% of its value in the tail lobe.