Physics
Scientific paper
Dec 2001
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2001agufmsm51a0785p&link_type=abstract
American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting 2001, abstract #SM51A-0785
Physics
2704 Auroral Phenomena (2407), 2736 Magnetosphere/Ionosphere Interactions, 7807 Charged Particle Motion And Acceleration
Scientific paper
The aurora is powered by a downward flux of electromagnetic energy that also heats the ionosphere, generates many kinds of plasma waves, as well as accelerates electrons and ions. The amount of the incoming energy that is transferred into the kinetic energy of escaping ionospheric ions is relatively small. Energy is transferred to ions in two ways: Perpendicular to the local magnetic field by interactions with plasma waves; and Parallel to the local magnetic field by electrostatic acceleration process and the magnetic mirror force. Seasonal modulation of ions and electrons energized parallel to the local magnetic field in the evening auroral zone have been reported by several observers. We report here an investigation into the relative occurrence of ion beams (i.e. ions flowing upward and parallel to the local magnetic field) and ion conics (i.e. ions flowing upward but with a significant pitch angle). Our observations are from three years of data from the Polar/TIMAS energetic mass spectrometer. Data obtained near perigee (6,000-8,000km altitude) were analyzed in the energy range from 15 eV/e to 33 keV/e. We find that the seasonal variation in outflowing ion beams is complemented by an opposite phase seasonal variation in ion conics. The net result is that the upflowing flux carried by the sum of beams and conics is independent of season. This suggests 1: That a constant fraction of the incoming auroral energy is transferred to ions and 2: That the flux of out flowing ions in the energy range sampled is independent of season.
Collin Henry
Peterson William
Yau Andrew W.
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