Plasma processes driven by current sheets and their relevance to the auroral plasma

Journal Article · Mon Dec 01 04:00:00 EST 1986 · IEEE Trans. Plasma Sci.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1109/TPS.1986.4316629· OSTI ID:6695110

Singh, N; Thiemann, H; Schunk, R W

Satellite and rocket observations have revealed a host of auroral plasma processes, including large dc perpendicular electric fields (E /sub perpendicular/) associated with electrostatic shocks, relatively weak parallel electric fields (E /sub parallel/) associated with double layers, upflowing ions in the form of beams and conics, downflowing and upflowing accelerated electron beams, several wave modes such as the electrostatic ion-cyclotron (EIC), lower hybrid (LH), very low frequency (VLF), extremely low frequency (ELF), and high-frequency waves and associated non-linear phenomena. Recently, the authors have attempted to simulate the various processes using a two-dimensional particle-in-cell code in which the plasma is driven by current sheets of a finite thickness. Striking similarities between the observed auroral plasma processes and those seen in the simulations are found. In this paper they give a review of the plasma processes dealing with dc and ac electric fields, formation of ion beams and conics, and electron acceleration.

• Research Organization: Dept. of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Univ. of Alabama, Huntsville, AL 35899
• OSTI ID: 6695110
• Journal Information: IEEE Trans. Plasma Sci.; (United States), Journal Name: IEEE Trans. Plasma Sci.; (United States) Vol. PS-14:6; ISSN ITPSB
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640201* -- Atmospheric Physics-- Auroral
Ionospheric
& Magetospheric Phenomena
656001 -- Condensed Matter Physics-- Solid-State Plasma
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
ALTERNATING CURRENT
ASTROPHYSICS
AURORAE
BEAMS
COMPUTERIZED SIMULATION
CURRENTS
CYCLOTRON RESONANCE
DIRECT CURRENT
EARTH ATMOSPHERE
EARTH MAGNETOSPHERE
ELECTRIC CURRENTS
ELECTRIC FIELDS
ELECTRON BEAMS
ELECTROSTATICS
FREQUENCY DEPENDENCE
HEATING
HIGH-FREQUENCY HEATING
ION BEAMS
ION CYCLOTRON-RESONANCE
LAYERS
LEPTON BEAMS
LOWER HYBRID HEATING
PARTICLE BEAMS
PLASMA
PLASMA HEATING
PLASMA SHEET
PLASMA WAVES
RESONANCE
ROCKETS
SATELLITES
SIMULATION
TWO-DIMENSIONAL CALCULATIONS