Field-aligned currents above an auroral arc

Simultaneous observations of precipitating electrons and protons in the energy range from 15 eV to 35 keV and magnetic field variations were made onboard a sounding rocket payload launched from the Andoya Rocket Range. The electric current density deduced from the electron precipitation observed during the passage over an auroral arc was comparable to that determined from the magnetic field variations. In addition, a downward current was observed by its magnetic field signature at the northern edge of the arc which was, however, not accompanied by significant particle fluxes in the energy range under consideration. It will be assumed that this current was carried by thermal electrons of ionospheric origin.     

Field-aligned currents and erosion of the dayside magnetosphere

The influence of the three-dimensional current system of the precursory phase of a substorm on the magnetic field in the dayside magnetosphere is considered. The current system includes the field-aligned currents flowing into the high-latitude ionosphere at dawn and flowing out at dusk. These currents decrease the magnetic field in the dayside magnetosphere and cause the transference of part of the dayside magnetic field lines into the magnetotail. As a result two kinds of deformation arise: the shrinkage of the dayside magnetopause and the equatorward displacement of the dayside polar cusps.     

Field-aligned currents and magnetic disturbances in the dayside polar region

Field-aligned currents in the day-time cusp-region are regarded as the superposition of various current sheets under the influence of different solar wind parameters. The principal feature of this pattern is a specific region 3 of field-aligned currents located poleward of region 1 and affected by both the azimuthal and northward components of the interplanetary magnetic field. It is shown that recent measurements carried out on the TRIAD satellite (Saflekos and Potemra, 1979) unambiguously point to the existence of region 3. The data on the transverse magnetic disturbances supplied by S3-2 satellite (Doyle et al., 1981) accord with our model on taking into account the relations between the IMF parameters and the field-aligned current intensity.     

Field-aligned currents and auroral acceleration by non-linear MHD waves

This paper examines the consequences of the assumption that substorm-associated growth of magnetosphere-ionosphere current systems is triggered by the incidence, on the ionosphere, of a large amplitude Alfvén wave generated in the distant magnetotail. It is pointed out that there is a large body of evidence suggesting that, in the acceleration region near 1 R_E, one is likely to find a major discontinuity in mass density. Following the approach of Cohen and Kulsrud (1974) who studied the steepening of large amplitude hydromagnetic waves into shocks, we demonstrate that the character of the background plasma and magnetic field in the auroral acceleration region near 1 R_E can be ideal for the generation of MHD shocks and that these shocks can lead to the acceleration of ions and electrons as reported by investigators using S3-3 satellite data.     

Field-aligned currents between 400 and 3000 km in auroral and polar latitudes

The polar orbiting magnetically stabilized satellite AZUR measured transverse magnetic variations in auroral and polar latitudes by means of a two component flux-gate magnetometer. Simultaneous measurements of $\text{λ2972}\text{A}\text{?}$ and $\text{λ3914}\text{A}\text{?}$ auroral emissions are related to low-energy zero-pitch-angle electron fluxes, which cause the transverse magnetic disturbances. Power spectra of the magnetic field variations are consistent with those of geomagnetic micropulsations.The sources of the field-aligned currents can be located in the Alfvén layer and in the magnetotail.     

Electron precipitation observations from a rocket flight through the dayside auroral oval

Energy spectra of electrons between 30 eV and 18 keV were obtained with a spectrometer on a Black Brant rocket launched from Cape Parry, N.W.T. (Λ = 75.2°) on December 6, 1974 to study the dayside magnetospheric cleft. The rocket flew to an apogee of 236 km and travelled poleward to 80° invariant latitude. The cleft was observed to extend from 76.9 to 78.4° invariant latitude. Equatorward of this electrons of a few keV energy were observed with a total energy flux of up to 2 erg/cm² sec ster. Variable fluxes of electrons with a spectrum fitted by a Maxwellian distribution of 150 eV characteristic energy were observed through most of the cleft. One inverted V structure was crossed. In that region, the electron energy increased to 650 eV and a total energy flux of 8 erg/cm² sec ster was measured. The event was a temporal one and only a few km in width, as deduced from optical data. Fluxes of about 10⁻² erg/cm² sec ster were recorded poleward of the cleft.     

Field-aligned suprathermal electron fluxes below 270 km in the auroral zone

Observations are reported of field aligned etectron fluxes in the energy range 50–500 eV at altitudes below 270 km from two rocket flights in the auroral zone. The regions of field aligned suprathermal electrons occurred in bursts of a few seconds duration, and in some instances the energy of the peak field aligned flux was in the range 100–500 eV. Theoretical calculations of the pitch angle distribution were made using the Monte Carlo technique for two model atmospheres having exospheric temperatures of 750 and 1500 K bracketing the expected auroral zone exospheric temperature. The calculations were made for the case of incident field aligned suprathermal fluxes with no local parallel electric field and also for the case of a local constant parallel electric field. Comparison of theoretical and experimental pitch angle distributions showed that in one case at 270 km a parallel electric field of 1–2 mV/m fitted the data whereas another burst at 210 km required a parallel electric field of about 10 mV/m to produce a field aligned distribution of 230 eV electrons as pronounced as was observed. Furthermore in this latter case the lack of strong field alignment at 500 eV pointed to localisation of the parallel electric field to an altitude range of 20–30 km about the rocket altitude.     

A study of the dynamics of a discrete auroral arc

High resolution electric field and particle data, obtained by the S23L1 rocket crossing over a discrete prebreakup arc in January 1979, are studied in coordination with ground observations (Scandinavian Magnetometer Array—SMA, TV and all-sky cameras) in order to clarify the electrodynamics of the arc and its surroundings. Height-integrated conductivities have been calculated from the particle data, including the ionization effects of precipitating protons and assuming a steady state balance between ion production and recombination losses. High resolution optical information of arc location relative to the rocket permitted a check of the validity of this assumption for each flux tube passed by the rocket. Another check was provided by a comparison between calculated (equilibrium values) and observed electron densities along the rocket trajectory. A way to compensate for the finite precipitation time when calculating the electron densities is outlined. The height-integrated HalI-Pedersen conductivity ratio is typically 1.4 within the arc and about 1 at the arc edges, indicative of a relatively softer energy spectrum there. The height-integrated conductivities combined with the DC electric field measurements permitted calculation of the horizontal ionospheric current vectors (J_⊥), Birkeland currents (from div J_⊥) and energy dissipation through Joule heating (Σ_pE²). An eastward current of typically 1 A m^?1 was found to be concentrated mainly to the arc region and equatorward of it. A comparison has been made with the equivalent current system deduced from ground based magnetometer data (SMA) showing a generally good agreement with the rocket results. An intense Pedersen current peak (1.2 A m^?1) was found at the southern arc edge. This edge constituted a division line between a very intense (> 10 μA m^?1) and localized (~ 6 km) downward current sheet to the south, probably carried by upward flowing cold ionospheric electrons and a more extended upward current sheet (> 10 μA m^?2) over the arc carried by measured precipitating electrons. Joule and particle heating across the arc were anticorrelated, consistent with the findings of Evans et al. (1977) with a total value of about 100mW m^?2.     

Rapid reversals of polarization in spikes and fast fine structures

We briefly describe the polarization state of the spike groups and fast fine structures superimposed on the 47GB microwave burst of 1991 May 16. At two frequencies 100 MHz apart, namely, 2645 and 2545 MHz, the polarization showed rapid reversals on short time scales of the order of 50 100ms. We think this is probably related to fluctuations on both short time and small spatial scales, in the plasma density and magnetic field of the emission region. Thése oscillations cause the plasma and cyclotron frequency ratio to vary around the value of , thus making the electron cyclotron maser instability growth rate to be dominated alternately by the X mode and the O mode and the polarization state to switch from one sign to the other.     

Radio observations of the fine structure inside a post-CME current sheet

A solar radio burst was observed in a coronal mass ejection/flare event by the Solar Broadband Radio Spectrometer at the Huairou Solar Observing Station on2004 December 1. The data exhibited various patterns of plasma motions, suggestive of the interaction between sunward moving plasmoids and the flare loop system during the impulsive phase of the event. In addition to the radio data, the associated whitelight, Hα, extreme ultraviolet light, and soft and hard X-rays were also studied.     

Generation of auroral kilometric radiation and the structure of auroral acceleration region

Generation of auroral kilometric radiation (AKR) in the auroral acceleration region is studied. It is shown that auroral kilometric radiation can be generated by the backscattered electrons trapped in the acceleration region via a cyclotron maser process. The parallel electric field in the acceleration region is required to be distributed over 1–2 R_E. The observed AKR frequency spectrum can be used to estimate the altitude range of the auroral acceleration region. The altitudes of the lower and upper boundaries of the acceleration region determined from the AKR data are respectively ～2000 and ～9000 km.     

Time-dependent behaviour of a stable auroral red arc excited by an electric field

We examine the electric field hypothesis as a possible explanation of a stable auroral red arc. An electric field perpendicular to the geomagnetic field in the ionosphere heats the ambient F-region electrons and ions. Given large enough electric fields, the electrons can be heated sufficiently to excite the OI (¹D) term of atomic oxygen by electron impact, giving rise to the λ6300 emission characteristic of the red arc. The electron and ion heating rates are determined by the relative drift between the plasma and neutral gas.     

The aries auroral modelling campaign: characterization and modelling of an evening auroral arc observed from a rocket and a ground-based line of meridian scanners

An auroral arc system excited by soft electrons was studied with a combination of in situ rocket measurements and optical tomographic techniques, using data from a photometer on a horizontal, spinning rocket and a line of three meridian scanning photometers. The ground-based scanner data at 4709, 5577, 8446 and 6300 Å were successfully inverted to provide a set of volume emission rate distributions in the plane of the rocket trajectory, with a basic time resolution of 24 s. Volume emission rate profiles, derived from these distributions peaked at about 150 km for 5577 and 4709 Å, while the 8446 Å emission peaked at about 170 km with a more extended height distribution. The rocket photometer gave comparable volume emission rate distributions for the 3914 Å emission as reported in a separate paper by McDade et al. (1991, Planet. Space Sci. 39, 895). Instruments on the rocket measured the primary electron flux during the flight and, in particular, the flux precipitating into the auroral arc overflown at apogee (McEwen et al., 1991; in preparation). The local electron density and temperature were measured by probes on the rocket (Margot and McNamara (1991; Can. J. Phys. 69, 950). The electron density measurements on the downleg were modelled using ion production rate data derived from the optical results. Model calculations of the emission height profile based on the measured electron flux agree with the observed profiles. The height distribution of the N₂⁺ emission in the equatorward band, through which the rocket passed during the descent, was measured by both the rocket and the ground-based tomographic techniques and the results are in good agreement. Comparison of these profiles with model profiles indicates that the exciting primary spectrum may be represented by an accelerated Maxwellian or a Gaussian distribution centered at about 3 keV. This distribution is close to what would be obtained if the electron flux exciting the poleward form were accelerated by a 1–2 kV upward potential drop. The relative height profiles for the volume emission rate of the 5577 Å OI emission and the 4709 Å N₂⁺ emission were almost indistinguishable from each other for both the forms measured, with ratios in the range 38–50; this is equivalent to I(5577)/I(4278) ratios of 8–10. The auroral intensities and intensity ratios measured in the magnetic zenith from the ground during the period before and during the rocket flight are consistent with the primary electron fluxes and height distributions measured from the rocket. Values of I(5577)/I(4278) in the range 8–10 were also measured directly by the zenith ground photometers over which the arc system passed. These values are slightly higher than those reported by Gattinger and Vallance-Jones (1972) and this may possibly indicate an enhancement of the atomic oxygen concentration at the time of the flight. Such an enhancement would be consistent with our result, that the observed values of I(5577) and I(8446) are also significantly higher than those modelled on the basis of the electron flux spectrum measured at apogee.     

Fluctuations of electron precipitation to the dayside auroral zone modulated by compression and expansion of the magnetosphere

Concurrent variations of CNA fluctuations and geomagnetic fluctuations are classified into Type 1 (substorm-type), Type 2 (Pc5-type), and Type 3 which is the object of the present study. Type 3 apparently has peculiar characteristics in that CNA fluctuations at a certain auroral-zone station show a pronounced positive correlation with magnetic fluctuations at distant low-latitude stations. The magnetic fluctuations of this type are identified to generalized Si which tends to take place much more frequently than the so-called Si. The CNA fluctuations of this type are found to take place on the dayside auroral zone only when preceded by a magnetic substorm on the night side. Considering the change of the growth rate of electron cyclotron instability and enhancement of pitch angle diffusion due to the change of magnetic field intensity, the following model is proposed to explain the occurrence mechanism of Type 3 concurrent variations. The CNA fluctuations take place only when two conditions are satisfied; generation of the accelerated electrons in association with substorm onset and modulation of the precipitation of the electrons by compression and expansion of the magnetosphere, in other words, by generalized Si.     

Effects of the dayside field-aligned currents in location and structure of polar cusps

We have studied the dayside magnetosphere structure and its K_p, A_E and IMF-dependence using the magnetic data from IMP and HEOS satellites obtained during 1966–1972. An analysis of the field line configurations has been done on the basis of results of a least squares fitting of the model coefficients to the data subsets. The plots of the magnetopause subsolar point distance and of the polar cusp latitude vs K_p and A_E have been obtained. A detailed study of the model field distribution has revealed a substantial difference in the polar cusp field line geometry between the cases of weak and strong geomagnetic activity. We find that this results in a considerable longitudinal extension of the isointensity contours of particle precipitation at ionospheric heights during disturbed periods with K_p ? 3 or A_E ? 300 nT. The same effect has been detected for the data subsets corresponding to the IMF B_z < 0. In contrast, at quiet times the precipitation isolines are much closer to circles. We conclude therefore that the cleft-like structure of polar cusps pertains only to active periods and can be explained by a magnetic effect of enhanced Birkeland currents.     

Field-aligned current generation at plasma clouds or bodies with plasma shells moving in magnetic fields

Field-aligned currents (FAC) can be generated during a plasma jet or the motion of a body with a plasma shell in a transverse magnetic field. They can be investigated in an active space experiment. For the proper choice of diagnostics and for evaluation of expected results a laboratory simulation is carried out. The preliminary results show FAC generation in conditions correlated with conditions in space.     

Field-aligned current generation at plasma clouds or bodies with plasma shells moving in magnetic fields

Field-aligned currents (FAC) can be generated during a plasma jet or the motion of a body with a plasma shell in a transverse magnetic field. They can be investigated in an active space experiment. For the proper choice of diagnostics and for evaluation of expected results a laboratory simulation is carried out. The preliminary results show FAC generation in conditions correlated with conditions in space.     

Field-aligned beams and reconnection in the jovian magnetotail

The release of plasma in the jovian magnetotail is observed in the form of plasmoids, travelling compression regions, field-aligned particle beams and flux-rope like events. We demonstrate that electrons propagate along the magnetic field lines in the plasma sheet boundary layer (PSBL), while close to the current sheet center the electron distribution is isotropic. The evidences of the counterstreaming electron beams in the PSBLs are also presented. Most of the field-aligned energetic ion beams are associated with the field-aligned electron beams and about half of them have the bipolar fluctuation of the meridional magnetic field component. Moreover they often show a normal velocity dispersion for the different species which fits well in the scenario of particle propagation from a single source. All features above are observed during jovian reconfiguration events which are typically bonded with plasma flow reversals. From all these characteristics, which are based on energetic particle and magnetic field measurements, we believe that the reconfiguration processes in the jovian magnetotail are associated with reconnection.     

Dynamical fine structure of a quiescent filament

A quiescent filament was observed near the center of the disk (N5, W5) with the MSDP spectrograph of the 50 cm refractor of the Pic-du-Midi Observatory on June 17, 1986. We focus our study on the statistical moments of the Dopplershift,V ₁, and the intensity,I ₁, at the center of a chord of the Hα profile (±0.256 Å), versus the minimum intensityI ₀. We use a statistical model simulating a numbern _max of threads (of optical thicknessτ ₀ and source functionS ₀), seen over the chromosphere. The threadsj along the same line-of-sighti are identical except for the velocityv _j (gaussian distributionv ₀,σ _v). We search for the best fit between the observed and simulated quantities:V ₁,σ (V ₁),I ₁,σ(I ₁), and the histogram of theI ₀ values over the field of view. A good fit is obtained with: (a) threads characterized byτ ₀ = 0.2,S ₀ = 0.06 (unit of the continuum at disk center), mean upward velocityv ₀ = 1.7 km s⁻¹ and gaussian-type velocity distributionσ _v = 3.5 km s⁻¹. Other possible values ofτ ₀ andσ _v are discussed; (b) underlying chromosphere deduced from observed quiet Sun (outside the filament) by modifying the chromospheric velocities: additional mean upward velocity 0.7 km s⁻¹, standard deviation reduced by a factorF _c ∼ 0.7. The results are discussed in connection with the values deduced from prominence observations.     

Dynamical fine structure of a quiescent prominence

A quiescent prominence has been observed with the MSDP spectrograph at the Pic du Midi Observatory. H profiles are obtained simultaneously in a 2D field, allowing a statistical analysis. The standard deviations of Doppler shifts and line widths are investigated as functions of the line intensity. The observations are compared with numerical simulations assuming that the prominence is made of identical threads, the velocity of which is distributed according to gaussian functions. The processing of simulations is very close to the processing of observations. The mixing by seeing effects and the transfer of radiation across several threads along the line of sight are considered. The results are consistent with the values derived by Engvold et al. (1989) and Zirker and Koutchmy (1989, 1990, 1991).The best fits are obtained with the following conditions. The temperature is 8500 K. In the middle range of intensities, each pixel results typically from the mixing of 6 velocity threads, the optical thickness of which is roughly 0.2 at H center, and the geometrical thickness larger than 1000 km. It is likely that the velocity threads have larger sizes than the density threads. The fit of the results is improved by taking into account a slight scatter of source functions throughout the prominence.In the central parts of the prominence, the fit is obtained by assuming that the line-of-sight velocities of the threads have a gaussian probability function (standard deviation 7 km s^–1).In the edges, we suggest larger scatter of velocities, and two combined dispersions. The velocity threads observed along a given line of sight are supposed to have neighbouring velocities (dispersion 7 km s^–1) around a mean value taken at random inside another distribution function (dispersion 7 km s^–1).