Energy source for auroral electrons from two proposed substorm onset processes

Details Energy source for auroral electrons from two proposed substorm onset processes Energy source for auroral electrons from two proposed substorm onset processes

Apr 2011

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2011jgra..11604214l&link_type=abstract

Journal of Geophysical Research, Volume 116, Issue A4, CiteID A04214

Physics

1

Magnetospheric Physics: Substorms, Magnetospheric Physics: Magnetotail, Magnetospheric Physics: Energetic Particles: Precipitating, Magnetospheric Physics: Auroral Phenomena (2407)

Scientific paper

There are two main processes in the tail that are proposed to link electron precipitation for the initial brightening auroral arc at substorm onset. These are current disruption/dipolarization (CDD) and magnetic reconnection (MR). To provide further clues in differentiating these two processes, we examine the electron energy spectrum and the associated total field-aligned energy flux during six CDD events and compare them with five MR events. Data from the Active Magnetospheric Particle Tracer Explorers/Charge Composition Explorer (AMPTE/CCE), Geotail, and Time History of Events and Macroscale Ineractions during Substorms (THEMIS) missions are used in this study. It is found that (1) the total field-aligned electron energy flux from CDD sites is generally high enough to account for the energy flux required to produce bright auroral arcs at substorm onsets and (2) the total field-aligned electron energy flux from MR sites is generally a factor of one to two orders of magnitude lower than that from CDD sites. These results favor a direct link between the CDD sites and the substorm onset arcs, but they do not rule out further acceleration of auroral electrons away from these sites by other energy sources (e.g., field-aligned potential drops and kinetic Alfvén waves) to produce even higher-intensity auroral arcs.

Affiliated with

Also associated with

No associations

Rating

Energy source for auroral electrons from two proposed substorm onset processes does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this scientific paper.

If you have personal experience with Energy source for auroral electrons from two proposed substorm onset processes, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Energy source for auroral electrons from two proposed substorm onset processes will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-1361419