ABSENCE OF ELECTRIC-FIELDS DUE TO PARTICLE ENTRY INTO THE MAGNETOSPHERE

The wide-spread belief that the neutral sheet current in Earth's magnetotail creates an accumulation of charge at the boundary with the magnetosheath is erroneous. Current continuity is maintained by the magnetization current on the upper and lower surfaces of the magnetotail. Hence no electric fields arise from charge separation supposedly brought about by the flow of particles between the neutral sheet and the magnetosheath. Claims to the contrary are based on the oversight of forgetting the current on the magnetopause. © 1979.