Plasma on Open Field Lines - Does it Exist ?

Splinter Group - Chairs: Paul Craven (NASA/MSFC) & Don Fairfield (NASA/GSFC)

Geotail measurements during magnetopause crossings show cold ion beams consisting of H+, and sometimes O+, but at high (keV) energies. Is this the same ionospheric plasma seen flowing out of the high latitude regions, if so how does it get energized? Recent Polar and Geotail results seem to show ionospheric plasma and solar wind plasma on the same field lines. Are the field lines on which both populations are seen open or are they closed? In order to address the topic, several questions have been posed:

Open field lines are defined as those on which the plasma has access to the IMF;

What observational evidence is the best to use to determine if the field lines are opened or closed?

Are polar cap aurora on open or closed field lines?

How important is low energy plasma on polar cap field lines in populating the plasma sheet?

How does magnetosheath plasma gain entry onto open lobe field lines?

We hope to have a few invited speakers interspersed between others who want to contribute to any of the questions above, either through presentations or discussion or both.

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