Energetic (above 60 eV) atmospheric photoelectrons

Details Energetic (above 60 eV) atmospheric photoelectrons Energetic (above 60 eV) atmospheric photoelectrons

Nov 1989

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1989jgr....9415335w&link_type=abstract

Journal of Geophysical Research (ISSN 0148-0227), vol. 94, Nov. 1, 1989, p. 15335-15348. Research supported by USAF and Boston U

Physics

34

Atmospheric Composition, Electron Energy, Magnetosphere-Ionosphere Coupling, Photoelectrons, Solar Activity Effects, Solar X-Rays, Atmospheric Ionization, Electron Sources

Scientific paper

Data from low altitude plasma instrument (LAPI) on Dynamics Explorer 2 document a population of high-energy (up to 800 eV) atmospheric photoelectrons that has not been reported in the published literature. The source of these photoelectrons is postulated to be the soft X-ray portion of the whole sun spectrum. This conclusion is supported by sunrise-sunset characteristics that track those of the classical (below 60 eV) EUV-produced photoelectrons, and theoretical results from two models that incorporate the soft X-ray portion of the solar spectrum. The models include K-shell ionization effects and predict peaks in the photoelectron spectrum due to Auger electrons emitted from oxygen and nitrogen. The peak for nitrogen is observed as predicted, but the peak for oxygen is barely observable. Excellent quantitative agreement is achieved between theory and experiment by using reasonable adjustments to the few published soft X-ray spectra based on solar activity. The upflowing energetic photoelectrons provide a heretofore unknown source of electrons to the magnetosphere. They occur whenever and wherever the sun is up, that is, at all invariant latitudes. Their density is low, but they are steady and ubiquitous. If scattering and trapping occur on closed field lines, then photoelectrons could contribute as a significant particle source and thus represent a new facet of magnetosphere-ionosphere coupling.

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