Satellite investigation of energy flux and inferred potential drop in auroral electron energy spectra

Journal Article · Thu Oct 01 04:00:00 EDT 1981 · Geophys. Res. Lett.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/GL008i010p01095· OSTI ID:5848904

Menietti, J D; Burch, J L

A predicted relationship between auroral electron energy flux (epsilon) and the inferred accelerating potential drop (V) for accelerated Maxwellian distributions has been derived by R. Lundin and I. Sandahl. This relationship (epsilonproportionalV/sup 2/) has been favorably tested with sounding rocket data by Lundin and Sandahl for the limiting case of eV/E/sub c/>>1 (where E/sub c/ is the characteristic energy of the accelerated Maxwellian distribution) and by L. Lyons for a single inverted-V observed by the Injun 5 satellite. The study reported in this paper has utilized data from Atmosphere Explorer D to extend these studies over the range. 2>eV/E/sub c/>5 and for a wide range of latitudes and local times on both the nightside and the dayside. Our results show good agreement with the full accelerated Maxwellian model. We have further derived an analytical approximation to the electron energy flux which much better describes the data over the range. 2

• Research Organization: Southwest Research Institute, San Antonio, TX 78284
• OSTI ID: 5848904
• Journal Information: Geophys. Res. Lett.; (United States), Journal Name: Geophys. Res. Lett.; (United States) Vol. 8:10; ISSN GPRLA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640201* -- Atmospheric Physics-- Auroral
Ionospheric
& Magetospheric Phenomena
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
ACCELERATION
AURORAE
CHARGED-PARTICLE PRECIPITATION
DAILY VARIATIONS
DISTRIBUTION FUNCTIONS
EARTH ATMOSPHERE
ELECTRIC FIELDS
ELECTRIC POTENTIAL
ELECTRON PRECIPITATION
ENERGY SPECTRA
FUNCTIONS
GEOGRAPHICAL VARIATIONS
INCLINATION
IONOSPHERE
LATITUDE EFFECT
PLANETARY IONOSPHERES
PLASMA ACCELERATION
SPECTRA
VARIATIONS
VOLTAGE DROP