Energy source and generation mechanism for auroral kilometric radiation

Details Energy source and generation mechanism for auroral kilometric radiation Energy source and generation mechanism for auroral kilometric radiation

May 1990

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1990jgr....95.5973u&link_type=abstract

Journal of Geophysical Research (ISSN 0148-0227), vol. 95, May 1, 1990, p. 5973-5981.

Physics

36

Auroral Zones, Kilometric Waves, Particle Acceleration, Space Plasmas, Viking Spacecraft, Cyclotron Frequency, Electromagnetic Radiation, Electron Distribution, Spacecraft Orbits

Scientific paper

The orbit of the Swedish satellite Viking was optimized for observations of plasma phenomena in the auroral acceleration regions, including auroral kilometric radiation. The auroral kilometric radiation (AKR) is the strongest electromagnetic radiation produced on auroral field lines, and the Viking satellite passed through the source region of this radiation on many orbits, as evidenced by the very strong signals observed at the electron cyclotron frequency. For the first time, electron distribution functions were observed inside the AKR source region and immediately adjacent to the source regions. The particle data show the presence of energetic electrons in and around the source region and also of upgoing ion beams of several keV energy in and only in the source region. Thus the particle data show clear signatures of parallel electric potentials both above and below the AKR source. The effect of a parallel potential below the source is to decrease the density of low-energy electrons and expand the upward loss cone, particularly at small parallel velocities. The reduction in the cold plasma density is clearly observed. These observations are in agreement with the cyclotron maser instability theory including the effect of a parallel electric field as discussed by Wu et al. (1982) and Pritchett and Strangeway (1985).

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