Interchange motion was originally introduced in magnetospheric physics by Gold (1959) half a century ago. Various subsequent interpretations, formulations and studies have been proposed since; they are comprehensively introduced and outlined in the History document.
Experimental confirmation of the plasmaspheric wind phenomenon has been obtained in July 2013, using Cluster CIS observations by Iannis Dandouras, 20 years after its theoretical prediction by Lemaire and Schunk (1992).
The animations illustrate the different classes of interchange and quasi-interchange motion that plasma elements (ions and electrons) can experience in a dipole magnetic field. At initial time all plasma elements are distributed along segments of dipole magnetic field lines. More detailed explanations on the mechanism, as well as references are available on the Read Me document.
Different modes of MHD oscillations modes and expansion flows (including the plasmaspheric wind flow) are displayed in five animations which are described in more details in the Descriptions document.
Different cases of Interchange and Quasi-Interchange modes (types 1 and 2) are displayed in the 5 animations.
