Theoretical aspects of weak double layers and their relation to the electrodynamic coupling between the magnetosphere and ionosphere

Details Theoretical aspects of weak double layers and their relation to the electrodynamic coupling between the magnetosphere and ionosphere Theoretical aspects of weak double layers and their relation to the electrodynamic coupling between the magnetosphere and ionosphere

Dec 1992

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1992itps...20..797k&link_type=abstract

IEEE Transactions on Plasma Science (ISSN 0093-3813), vol. 20, no. 6, p. 797-802.

Physics

Field Aligned Currents, Magnetosphere-Ionosphere Coupling, Plasma Layers, Electrodynamics, Plasma Potentials

Scientific paper

Weak double layers are small-scale plasma structures with a magnetic-field-aligned electric potential jump of the order of, or less than, the thermal energy of background plasma. On auroral magnetic field lines they have been observed within the altitude range from about 4000 km up to 13,500 km, which is the highest altitude where suitable instrumentation has been used. The weak double layers are typically found in association with upward flowing ionospheric ions with energies typically below 1 keV. Here we discuss certain theoretical aspects of auroral weak double layers. Although progress has recently been made using plasma simulations, the physical mechanisms behind the phenomena are still poorly understood. The importance of considering these microscale phenomena in the framework of the global electrodynamic coupling between the magnetosphere and ionosphere is emphasized. The weak double layers may contribute the parallel potential drop between the magnetosphere and ionosphere. However, it is quite unlikely that they would build up the entire potential difference.

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