Rotating ion-exospheres

The density, parallel and perpendicular pressures and temperatures distributions of a collisionless thermal plasma trapped in a dipole magnetic field are described and discussed. The effect of rotation on the plasma distribution is illustrated. The relative population of the different types of trapped particles is shown to influence drastically the temperature anisotropy of the cold plasma in the ion-exosphere. The total contents of mass, potential energy and kinetic energy in the magnetic flux tubes are estimated. (author)