Field-aligned electron precipitation at the edge of an arc

Journal Article · Sat Feb 01 04:00:00 EST 1986 · J. Geophys. Res.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/JA091iA02p01723· OSTI ID:5936004

McFadden, J P; Carlson, V W; Boehm, M H

Measurements of field-aligned electrons at the edge of an arc are presented from a sounding rocket flight through a quiet afternoon auroral arc. High time resolution measurements show the evolution of the electron distribution function over the 2.3-km width of field-aligned precipitation. A nearly constant 1.2-eV perpendicular temperature was found for these field-aligned fluxes over a broad range of parallel energies (100--900 eV). The small perpendicular temperature indicates that the acceleration region is located at a low altitude. Two models of cold plasma convection into the edge of a V-shaped potential structure are examined and found consistent with both the observed fluxes and spatial width of the edge precipitation. Both models predict an average source plasma density less than 130/cm/sup 3/ to account for the observed field-aligned fluxes and thus an acceleration region well above 1000 km.

• Research Organization: Space Sciences Laboratory, University of California, Berkeley
• OSTI ID: 5936004
• Journal Information: J. Geophys. Res.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Geophys. Res.; (United States) Vol. 91:A2; ISSN JGREA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640201* -- Atmospheric Physics-- Auroral
Ionospheric
& Magetospheric Phenomena
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
ACCELERATION
AURORAL OVAL
CHARGED-PARTICLE PRECIPITATION
COLD PLASMA
CONVECTION
DISTRIBUTION FUNCTIONS
ELECTRON DENSITY
ELECTRON PRECIPITATION
ELECTRON TEMPERATURE
ENERGY LEVELS
ENERGY TRANSFER
FUNCTIONS
HEAT TRANSFER
MASS TRANSFER
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
MEASURING METHODS
PLASMA
PLASMA DENSITY
ROCKETS