Magnetic-field-aligned electric fields associated with Debye-scale plasma structures.

Details Magnetic-field-aligned electric fields associated with Debye-scale plasma structures. Magnetic-field-aligned electric fields associated with Debye-scale plasma structures.

Mar 1999

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1999ppcf...41...61e&link_type=abstract

Plasma Phys. Controlled Fusion, Vol. 41, p. A61 - A73

Astronomy and Astrophysics

Astrophysics

3

Aurorae: Particle Acceleration, Aurorae: Plasma

Scientific paper

Quasi-static, magnetic-field-aligned (parallel) potentials have been considered the primary source of charged particle acceleration in the aurora where precipitating electrons create a visible display. This finding has been controversial since, at one time, it was widely believed that parallel potentials could not be supported by a collisionless plasma. The author presents observations from the fast auroral snapshot (FAST) satellite which strongly support this acceleration mechanism and, moreover, show evidence of a second plasma regime region which supports quasi-static parallel potentials. The uncovering of parallel potentials in two plasma regimes suggests that they may be fundamental in astrophysical plasmas, supplementing the classical mechanisms of Fermi and betatron acceleration. The author summarizes the observations that demonstrate this acceleration mechanism. He also summarizes evidence of Debye-scale plasma structures which are associated with these parallel potentials. These small-scale structures appear to be three-dimensional electron phase space holes, a new type of plasma structure.

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