Electromagnetic Ion Cyclotron Waves in the Auroral Region

Physics

Scientific paper

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2483 Wave/Particle Interactions, 2487 Wave Propagation (6934), 2704 Auroral Phenomena (2407), 2431 Ionosphere/Magnetosphere Interactions (2736)

Scientific paper

Energetic ions in the auroral region are frequently observed in concert with electromagnetic ion cyclotron waves with frequencies ranging from 1 to 100 Hz. Such waves may arise due to a number of instability mechanisms---electron beams, ion beams, velocity shear, and temperature anisotropy. Observations often show Poynting flux directed along the ambient magnetic toward the earth, indicating that the waves may propagate from a nonlocal source region to the region of dissipation. To understand how electromagnetic ion cyclotron waves could be generated in regions of instability, propagate along auroral field lines, and heat ions through ion cyclotron resonance and joule dissipation, we present global wave solutions based on the electromagnetic wave equations. The plasma model includes the response from energetic magnetospheric particles as well as the dominant ionospheric ion species. Based on the global wave solutions we present Poynting flux, polarization, and amplitude of these waves. We identify the relative dissipation of wave power due to collisional Joule dissipation in the ionosphere and ion cyclotron resonance near the heavy ion cyclotron frequencies. Wave power which reaches the ionosphere can excite the Alfven resonator thereby modifying the relative absorption of wave power in the ionosphere. Similarly, excitation of the Alfven resonator affects reflection of wave power from the ionosphere and subsequent absorption at the heavy ion cyclotron resonance. For a typical wave spectrum in the auroral region, we compute the expected ion heating rate as a function of altitude.

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