Characteristics of optical emissions and particle precipitation in mid/low-latitude aurorae

Thesis/Dissertation · Thu Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1987

OSTI ID:5246300

Rassoul K, H R

Ground-based optical observations have been made at low/mid latitudes to study the auroral effects of particle precipitation. The measured optical emissions include (OI) 5577 {Angstrom}, (OI) 6300 {Angstrom}, and (OI) 7774 {Angstrom} of atomic oxygen, the Balmer-{beta} line of Hydrogen at 4861 {Angstrom}; and the emission bands from the first negative nitrogen system at 3914 {Angstrom} and 4278 {Angstrom}. Spectral characteristics of low-latitude aurorae, the correlation of optical data with geomagnetic field variations, and the nature of the precipitating particles were established. The observed auroral emissions have characteristics appropriate to the precipitation into the thermosphere of heavy energetic (keV energy) particles and/or electrons of energy of the order of eV rather than the keV electron precipitation as in the high-latitude auroral zone. The latitude variation of optical emissions shows a strong increase from low to mid latitudes, and the strongest emissions occur in the evening to midnight local time period. The particle precipitation enhances at times when there is a populated and/or energized ring current and there exists a strong magnetic perturbation near the local meridian of the precipitation.

• Research Organization: Texas Univ., Dallas, TX (USA)
• OSTI ID: 5246300
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640201* -- Atmospheric Physics-- Auroral
Ionospheric
& Magetospheric Phenomena
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
AURORAL ZONES
CHARGED PARTICLES
CHARGED-PARTICLE PRECIPITATION
CURRENTS
ELECTRIC CURRENTS
ELEMENTS
EMISSION SPECTRA
GEOGRAPHICAL VARIATIONS
HYDROGEN
IONS
LATITUDE EFFECT
NITROGEN IONS
NONMETALS
OXYGEN
RING CURRENTS
SPECTRA
VARIATIONS
VISIBLE SPECTRA