Title: Intense cross-tail field-aligned currents in the plasma sheet at lunar distances,
Abstract: Field-aligned currents in the Earth's magnetotail are traditionally
associated with transient plasma flows and strong plasma pressure gradients in
the near-Earth side. In this paper we demonstrate a new field-aligned current
system present at the lunar orbit tail. Using magnetotail current sheet
observations by two ARTEMIS probes at $\sim60 R_E$, we analyze statistically
the current sheet structure and current density distribution closest to the
neutral sheet. For about half of our 130 current sheet crossings, the
equatorial magnetic field component across-the tail (along the main, cross-tail
current) contributes significantly to the vertical pressure balance. This
magnetic field component peaks at the equator, near the cross-tail current
maximum. For those cases, a significant part of the tail current, having an
intensity in the range 1-10nA/m$^2$, flows along the magnetic field lines (it
is both field-aligned and cross-tail). We suggest that this current system
develops in order to compensate the thermal pressure by particles that on its
own is insufficient to fend off the lobe magnetic pressure.