‘…”For over 60 years, scientists believed these structures existed but by imaging them for the first time, we’ve provided visual evidence that they are really there,” said Cleo Loi of CAASTRO at the University of Sydney.
[….]The innermost layer of the magnetosphere is the ionosphere, and above that is the plasmasphere. They are embedded with a variety of strangely shaped plasma structures including, as has now been revealed, the tubes….’
via Press release: real-time, 3D movies of plasma tubes
also at: http://www.news.com.au/technology/science