Other
Scientific paper
Dec 2008
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2008agufmsm21a1677b&link_type=abstract
American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting 2008, abstract #SM21A-1677
Other
2704 Auroral Phenomena (2407), 2721 Field-Aligned Currents And Current Systems (2409), 2772 Plasma Waves And Instabilities (2471), 7829 Kinetic Waves And Instabilities, 7867 Wave/Particle Interactions (2483, 6984)
Scientific paper
Quasi-steady electric fields parallel to the background geomagnetic field exist in both upward and downward Birkeland (field-aligned) current regions above the aurora. These fields, together with the turbulence found on auroral field lines, energize the plasma particles as they flow either away from or toward the earth. In general, these parallel electric fields are supported by one or more strong double layers, the mirror force, the generalized pressure gradient, and the anomalous resistivity due to the turbulence. Recently, and for the first time, we have developed and published a new kinetic and multi-moment fluid, anomalous transport theory that contains the effect of electrostatic turbulence for inhomogeneous, non-uniformly magnetized plasmas [1, 2]. Applying the new theory to observations in a downward-current sheet, we show that anomalous resistivity accounts for only a small portion of the parallel electric field and that contributions from the double layer, mirror force, and generalized pressure gradient terms in the generalized Ohm's law for the problem are more important. Calculations in the double-layer-and-transition-propagation region for a downward-current sheet show that a strong double layer forms, propagates upward at the local ion-acoustic speed, is destabilized as the current falls below the local critical value, and reforms at a lower altitude. These results have important implications in other regions of space such as magnetospheric reconnection sites and solar coronal loops where parallel electric fields are likely to exist. [1] J. R. Jasperse et al. (2006), Phys. Plasmas 13, 072903, and [2] J. R. Jasperse et al. (2006), Phys. Plasmas 13, 112902.
Basu Baidyanath
Grossbard Neil
Jasperse John R.
Lund Eric J.
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