Intense sheared flow as the origin of large-scale undulations of the edge of the diffuse aurora

Details Intense sheared flow as the origin of large-scale undulations of the edge of the diffuse aurora Intense sheared flow as the origin of large-scale undulations of the edge of the diffuse aurora

Mar 1986

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1986jgr....91.3225k&link_type=abstract

Journal of Geophysical Research (ISSN 0148-0227), vol. 91, March 1, 1986, p. 3225-3230.

Physics

31

Auroras, Electric Fields, Shear Flow, Auroral Arcs, Diffuse Radiation, Dmsp Satellites, Magnetohydrodynamic Flow, Plasmapause, Richardson Number, Satellite Imagery

Scientific paper

DMSP satellite data and theoretical models are presented in an attempt to demonstrate that the undulations which occur at the equatorward edge of the diffuse aurora on scales of 200-900 km are attributable to large poleward electric fields. Specifically, spatial variations in the electric field pattern are a cause of shear instabilities in the plasma flow. Evidence for the causative mechanisms is presented in the form of simultaneous DMSP photographs of the undulations and satellite electric field data, combined with a theoretical analysis of the phenomena. The electric field data were collected with instrumentation on board the S3-3, Atmosphere Explorer and ISEE spacecraft. Few cross-correlations were obtained, although the observed wavelengths agreed with the predictions made with a MHD model. The analysis also indicates that instability occurs in conjunction with large localized electric fields in the plasmapause. A dedicated experiment is recommended to gather sufficient data to verify or disprove the electric field model for the shear instabilities.

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