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Auroral precipitation caused by auroral kilometric radiation

Journal Article · · Journal of Geophysical Research; (United States)
 [1]
  1. Univ. of Iowa, Iowa City (United States)

If the auroral kilometric radiation were generated by loss cone lasing on closed field lines, as has been proposed, then it should cause substantial auroral precipitation by the pitch angle scattering of energetic electrons into the loss cone. A rough estimate for this precipitation, based upon the observed auroral kilometric radiation (AKR) amplitudes, would imply a flux of at least 2 {times} 10{sup 8} el/cm{sup 2}s over the projected ionospheric footprint of an individual laser and, if most of the AKR radio lasers occupied the same electron drift an L shell, an arc of 8 km width with a minimum average flux of roughly 10{sup 9} el/cm{sup 2}s. It is believed that this will account for auroral arcs and other aspects of auroral electron precipitation.

OSTI ID:
5736718
Journal Information:
Journal of Geophysical Research; (United States), Journal Name: Journal of Geophysical Research; (United States) Vol. 92:A8; ISSN 0148-0227; ISSN JGREA
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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