Electron temperatures during rapid subauroral ion drift events
| Autor: | L. H. Brace, G. J. Bailey, Roderick A. Heelis, A. E. Ennis, R.J. Moffett |
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| Přispěvatelé: | EGU, Publication |
| Jazyk: | angličtina |
| Rok vydání: | 1998 |
| Předmět: |
Atmospheric Science
Materials science 010504 meteorology & atmospheric sciences Plasma parameters Plasmasphere 01 natural sciences Ion 0103 physical sciences Earth and Planetary Sciences (miscellaneous) lcsh:Science 010303 astronomy & astrophysics Ring current 0105 earth and related environmental sciences Flux tube [SDU.OCEAN] Sciences of the Universe [physics]/Ocean Atmosphere lcsh:QC801-809 Geology Astronomy and Astrophysics Geophysics lcsh:QC1-999 lcsh:Geophysics. Cosmic physics Heat flux Space and Planetary Science Physics::Space Physics [SDU.STU] Sciences of the Universe [physics]/Earth Sciences Electron temperature lcsh:Q Atomic physics Thermosphere lcsh:Physics |
| Zdroj: | Annales Geophysicae, Vol 16, Pp 450-459 (1998) Annales Geophysicae, Vol 16, Iss 4, Pp 450-459 (0000) |
| ISSN: | 1432-0576 0992-7689 |
| Popis: | Examples of data from DE-2 satellite instruments are presented. These illustrate the behaviour of plasma parameters in the F-region and adjacent topside ionosphere during rapid sub-auroral ion drift (SAID) events. In particular, a variety of behaviours of the electron temperature (Te) is demonstrated, both within and equatorward of the SAID region. The Sheffield University plasmasphere-ionosphere model (SUPIM) is used to perform calculations in which a model SAID is applied to a plasma flux tube. The model results indicate that strongly elevated ion temperature (a recognised signature of SAID events) is on occasion sufficient to raise Te to observed values by ion-electron heat transfer. On other occasions, an additional heat source is required. It is suggested that such a source for the electron gas may be due to interaction between the ring current and the plasmasphere at high altitudes. The magnitude of the downward heat flux is consistent with that necessary to produce sub-auroral red arcs. The resulting strongly heated electron gas causes vibrational excitation of molecular nitrogen in the thermosphere. Key words. Electron temperature · Subauroral ion drift · Plasmasphere-ionosphere SUPIM |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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