Abstract
We report a new type of spatially coherent plasma structure that is associated with quasistatic, magnetic-field-aligned electric fields in space plasmas. The solitary structures form in a magnetized plasma, are multidimensional, and are highly supersonic. The size along is a few and increases with increasing amplitude, unlike a classical soliton. The perpendicular size appears to be influenced by ion motion. We show that the structures facilitate ion-electron momentum exchange and suggest that an aggregate of structures may play a role supporting large-scale, parallel electric fields.
- Received 4 March 1998
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.81.826
©1998 American Physical Society