Characteristics of AKR sources: A statistical description

Journal Article · Thu Aug 01 04:00:00 EDT 1991 · Geophysical Research Letters (American Geophysical Union); (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/91GL01332· OSTI ID:5694631

Hilgers, A ^[1]; Roux, A ^[2]; Lundin, R ^[3]

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1. Swedish Inst. of Space Physics, Uppsala (Sweden)
2. CNET-CNRS/CRPE, Moulineaux (France)
3. Swedish Inst. of Space Physics, Kiruna (Sweden)

A description of plasma properties within the sources of the Auroral Kilometric Radiation (AKR) is given. It is based on data collected during {approximately} 50 AKR source crossings in the altitude range between 4,000 and 9,000 km by the Swedish spacecraft Viking. The following results are obtained; (i) the frequency of the lowest frequency peak of the AKR f{sub peak} is found to be very close to f{sub ce}, the electron gyrofrequency ((f{sub peak}-f{sub ce})/f{sub ce} {le} 0.08), on the average, (ii) the lower cutoff frequency f{sub LC} is on the average at f{sub ce} ((f{sub LC}-f{sub ce})/f{sub ce} {approx equal} 0), (iii) in the sources the density is typically less than 1.5 cm{sup {minus}3}, which is of the order of the density of hot electrons and (iv) the source is located within an acceleration region, as evidenced by electrons accelerated above and ions accelerated below.

• OSTI ID: 5694631
• Journal Information: Geophysical Research Letters (American Geophysical Union); (United States), Journal Name: Geophysical Research Letters (American Geophysical Union); (United States) Vol. 18:8; ISSN 0094-8276; ISSN GPRLA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

661320* -- Auroral
Ionospheric
& Magnetospheric Phenomena-- (1992-)
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
ACCELERATION
AURORAL ZONES
CHARGED PARTICLES
CONVERSION
DETECTION
EARTH ATMOSPHERE
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
ELECTRON DENSITY
ENERGY CONVERSION
IONOSPHERE
IONS
LEVELS
PLANETARY IONOSPHERES
PLASMA
RADIATIONS
RADIOWAVE RADIATION
SATELLITES