Proton observations supporting the ion cyclotron wave heating theory of SAR arc formation

Low altitude satellite observations of precipitated and locally mirroring protons during periods of ground-based SAR arc observations are presented. The SAR arcs are found to be located in a region with significantly enhanced proton pitch angle scattering and enhanced electron temperature, but inside the plasmapause where the proton pitch angle distribution is anisotropic. The increase in the pitch angle scattering takes place in a localized region having a width of a few tenths of a L-value. The observations can favourably be accounted for by the Cornwall et al. (1971) theory for the SAR arc formation. Using observed proton fluxes and typical energy spectra, the expected Hβ intensity in the SAR arc region is estimated to be a few Rayleighs, and the energy flux from precipitated protons above a few keV to be 10^?2?10^?1erg/cm²s. These estimates are in reasonable agreement with previously published theoretical and experimental values. Simultaneous groundbased observations of Hα emissions were found in the region of intense, isotropic proton precipitation located outside the plasmapause.     

On the energy dependence of the ring current proton precipitation

Low altitude satellite measurements of protons in the 1–100 keV range indicate two energy dependent proton precipitation boundaries. At low invariant latitudes mostly below 60° there is a region of moderately weak proton precipitation. The poleward boundary of this region tends to be at higher latitudes for the high energy protons than for the low energy protons. At high invariant latitudes there is a region where both the low and high energy protons precipitate with an isotropic pitch-angle distribution. The equatorward boundary of this region tends to be at lower latitudes for protons with energy more than 100 keV than for those in the 1–6 keV range. This region with isotropic pitch-angle distribution is located well outside the plasmapause both for the 1–6 and 100-keV protons.Between these two precipitation zones there is a region where the proton pitch-angle distribution is highly anisotropic with almost no protons in the loss cone. This region tends to be wider and more pronounced in the 1–6 than in the 100-keV protons.These findings lend further support to the mechanism of ion-cyclotron instability as the cause of proton pitch-angle diffusion in the low and intermediate regions. The process responsible for the strong diffusion at auroral latitudes has not yet been identified.     

A comparison between simultaneous I.P.D.P. groundbased observations and observations of energetic protons obtained by satellites

A study of simultaneous groundbased observations of I.P.D.P. (intervals of pulsation of diminishing period) magnetic field fluctuation events and satellite observations of energetic protons have been performed. Some of our results are as follows. (1) The region of I.P.D.P. occurrence is always located equatorward of the isotropic proton precipitation. (2) The I.P.D.P. generation is not connected with the poleward leap of the aurora and the poleward expansion of the precipitating protons. (3) In the evening to afternoon sector enhanced pitch angle scattering is found near L = 4 during I.P.D.P. events, earlier shown to be associated with ion cyclotron resonance. (4) I.P.D.P. events seem to be associated with increased fluxes of (40–60) keV protons injected during substorms near the plasmapause in the equatorial plane.In order to explain the observations we invoke the following model: at substorm onset ring current protons are injected deep into the nightside magnetosphere covering a certain region in L and L.T., with the inner edge of the proton population following McIlwain's injection boundary. The protons drift azimuthally westward and generate ion cyclotron waves in a certain L interval at or inside the plasmapause. By taking into account the shape and position of the plasmapause and the injection boundary, the exterrt and position of the wave generating region can be determined. The frequency-time dispersion of the I.P.D.P. is largely attributed to the L-dependent drift velocity of protons in a narrow energy band. The model is able to explain the observations during several individual events. Also, the model predicts the general trends that have been found by statistical analysis of I.P.D.P. events and accounts for the constant frequency observed by satellites during I.P.D.P. events.     

Thermal protons in the morning magnetosphere: Filling and heating near the equatorial plasmapause

Thermal H⁺ distributions have been measured as the European Space Agency GEOS-1 satellite passed through the late morning equatorial magnetosphere, plasmapause and plasmasphere. The unique capabilities of the on-board Supralhermal Plasma Analysers (SPA) have been used to overcome the retarding floating potential of the satellite and measure the velocity distribution of the cold protons. In the magnetosphere an enhanced source cone of such ions with a temperature of ~ 0.5 eV is a signature of the filling process occurring outside the plasmapause where flux tubes are relatively empty. In the plasmasphere the thermal H⁺ is essentially isotropic with a temperature less than 0.5 eV but the motion of the satellite introduces apparent drift.These measurements of cold proton velocity distribution now permit a reappraisal of the definition of the “plasmapause”. It becomes inappropriate to use an arbitrary empirical density, e.g. the conventional 10 cm ^?3, in order to establish a boundary. It is now possible to identify a plasmapause interaction region where the two cold proton populations co-exist. This region generally lies Earthward of the 10 cm ^?3 density level, has a width which is strongly dependent on magnetic activity and the temperature is typically between 0.5 and 1.5 eV. The change from “filled” to “unfilled” flux tubes relates to the physical processes which are occurring and the controlling electric field configuration; in particular, the last closed equipotential. Throughout this region, in going from the plasmasphere to the magnetosphere, the plasma drift motion is expected to change from corotation to a convection which is controlled by E ×B, and is predominantly Sunward due to the dawn-dusk electric field. Crossing the plasmapause on the morning side, little change in drift direction should occur but subtle variations in the ionic velocity distribution do reflect the change in the degree of flux tube density equilibrium.Our first direct measurement of the magnetospheric E × B drift has been reported previously but here measurements from a selected six day period show how the plasma in the plasmapause region responds to changing magnetospheric activity. The drift velocities cannot he derived with high accuracy but the analysis shows that the technique can provide a valid mapping of the magnelospheric electric field. In addition, since the magnetospheric cold plasma distribution is observed after it has come from the ionosphere, a distance of many Earth radii, the scattering and accelerating mechanisms along the flux tube can be studied. For this particular data-set taken in the late morning, the maximum potential drops along the flux tubes were less than a volt. The ionospheric proton source cone is observed to be broad, pitch angle scattering persists up to 40 or even 70°.Although these results throw new light on the plasmaspheric filling process one must recognise that, however the plasmapause is defined, it is not a simple matter to map this boundary from the equatorial plane down to low altitudes and the mid-latitude trough.     

Field line topology in the dayside cusp region inferred from low altitude particle observations

Dayside low altitude satellite observations of the pitch angle and energy distribution of electrons and protons in the energy range 1 eV to 100 eV during quite geomagnetic conditions reveal that at times there is a clear latitudinal separation between the precipitating low energy (keV) electrons and protons, with the protons precipitating poleward of the electrons. The high energy (100 keV) proton precipitation overlaps both the low energy (keV) electron and proton precipitation. These observations are consistent with a model where magnetosheath particles stream in along the cusp field lines and are at the same time convected poleward by an electric field.The electrons with energies of a few keV move fast and give the “ionospheric footprint” of the distant cusp. The protons are partly convected poleward of the cusp and into the polar cap. Here the mirroring protons populate the plasma mantle. Equatorward of the cusp the pitch angle distribution of both electrons and protons with energies above a few keV is pancake shaped indicating closed geomagnetic field lines. The 1 keV electrons, penetrate, however, into this region of closed field line structure maintaining an isotropic pitch angle distribution. The intensity is, however, reduced with respect to what it was in the cusp region. It is suggested that these electrons, the lowest energies measured on the satellite, are associated with the entry layer.     

Low-frequency electric field fluctuations excited by ring current protons

Energetic protons haying ring type distributions are shown to generate low-frequency electrostatic waves, propagating nearly transverse to the geomagnetic field lines, in the ring current region by exciting Mode 1 arid Mode 2 nonresonant instabilities and a resonant instability. Mode 1 nonresonant instability has frequencies around ~4 Hz with transverse wavelengths of ~(8–80) km, and it is likely to occur in the region L = (7–8). Mode 2 nonresonant instability can generate frequencies ~(850–1450) Hz with transverse wavelengths ~(2–20) km. The typical frequencies and transverse wavelengths associated with the resonant instability are (950–1250) Hz and (30–65) km. Both the Mode 2 nonresonant instability and the resonant instability can occur in the ring current region with L = (4–6). The low-frequency modes driven by energetic protons could attain maximum saturation electric field amplitude varying from 0.8 mV/m to 70 mV/m. It is suggested that the turbulence produced by the low-frequency modes may cause pitch angle scattering of ring current protons in the region outside the plasmapause resulting in the ring current decay.     

Effects of convection electric field on the distribution of ring current type protons

The topology of the boundaries of penetration (or inversely the boundaries of the forbidden regions) of 90° pitch angle equatorial protons with energies less than 100 keV are explored for an equatorial convection E-field which is directed in general from dawn to dusk. Due to the dependence of drift path on energy (or magnetic moment) complex structural features are expected in the proton energy spectra detected on satellites since the penetration distance of a proton is not a monotonically increasing or decreasing function of energy. During a storm when the convection E is enhanced, model calculations predict elongations of the forbidden regions analogous to plasmatail extensions of the plasmasphere. Following a reduction in the convection field, spiral-structured forbidden regions can occur. Structural features inherent to large scale convection field changes may be seen in the noselike proton spectrograms observed near dusk by instrumentation on the satellite Explorer 45 (S³) (Smith and Hoffman, 1974). These nose events are modelled by using an electric field model developed originally by Volland (1973). The strength of the field is related to K_p through night-time equatorial plasmapause measurements.     

Substorm morphology of > 100 keV protons

The latitudinal morphology of > 100 keV protons at different local times has been studied as a function of substorm activity. A characteristic pattern is found: during quiet-times there is an isotropic zone centred around 67° near midnight, but located on higher latitudes towards dusk and dawn. This zone moves slightly equatorward during the substorm growth phase. During the expansive phase the precipitation spreads poleward apparently to ~ 71° near midnight. The protons are precipitated over a large local time interval on the nightside, but the most intense fluxes are found in the pre-midnight sector. A further poleward expansion, to more than 75° near midnight, seems to take place late in the substorm. Away from midnight, the expansion reaches even higher latitudes. During the recovery phase the intensity of the expanded region decreases gradually; the poleward boundary is almost stationary if the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) has a northward component and no further substorm activity takes place. Mainly protons with energy below ~ 500 keV are precipitated in the expanded region. On the dayside no increase in the precipitation rates is found during substorm expansion, but late in the substorm an enhanced precipitation is found, covering several degrees in latitude. The low-latitude anisotropic precipitation zone is remarkably stable during substorms. A schematic model is presented and discussed in relation to earlier results.     

Generation of 1–30 Hz waves near the plasmapause by resonant electron-instability

A generation mechanism for 1–30 Hz waves of the second category, observed near the plasmapause by Taylor and Lyons (1976), is suggested in terms of a resonant electron instability. The instability arises because of the resonant interaction between the ring current electrons outside the plasmapause and the ordinary mode drift waves. The instability can generate waves in the frequency range from 0.45 to 35.0 Hz in the region between L = 4.5 and 5.5. The instability can also explain satisfactorily the other properties such as no changes in the proton distributions, the direction of the wave magnetic field and the localization of the region of wave activity, associated with these waves.     

VLF goniometer observations at halley bay,Antarctica—II. Magnetospheric structure deduced from whistler observations

On 26 July 1967, a magnetically quiet day (ΣK_p = 12?) with high whistler activity at Halley Bay, it was found possible, by measurement of whistler nose-frequency and dispersion and the bearings of the whistler exit points, to make a detailed study of the magnetospheric structure associated with the whistler ducts.During the period 0509–2305 UT most of the exit points of whistlers inside the plasmasphere were situated along a strip about 100km wide passing through Halley Bay in an azimuthal direction 30°E of N between 57° and 62° invariant latitude. A mechanism which can give rise to such a well-defined locus which co-rotates with the Earth is not clear. Nevertheless, it does appear that the locus coincides with the contour of solar zenith angle 102° at 1800 UT 25 July. This was also the time of occurrence of a sub-storm and it is suggested that the magnetospheric structure was initiated by proton precipitation along the solar zenith angle 102° contour.At mid-day knee-whistlers observed outside the plasmapause had exit points which were closely aligned along an L-shell at an invariant latitude of 62.5°. They exhibited a marked variation (~ 3:1) in electron tube content over about 12° of invariant longitude and a drift of about 8 msec^?1 to lower L-shells.Throughout the period of observation the plasmapause lay about 2° polewards of the mean position found by Carpenter (1968) for moderately disturbed days.     

440 keV proton precipitation at middle latitudes during the recovery phase of magnetic storms

Quasitrapped (H_min < 100 km) protons with energies E > 440 keV have been detected during magnetic storms by the IK-5 satellite in a narrow zone with a center at L = 3.0−3.2; this zone is well separated from the region of Isotropie fluxes at L > 4. Data for five moderate storms have been analysed in detail. It was found that the quasitrapped proton peaks appear during the recovery phase of magnetic storms and that the scattering of protons toward low mirror points takes place in all local time sectors. The relation between the observed precipitation of the E > 440 keV protons and the intraplasmaspheric precipitation of low-energy protons has been discussed in the light of the theory of generation of ion-cyclotron waves by the ring current and the theory of parasitic interaction of these waves with the radiation belt protons. A series of arguments indicates that the phenomenon under study is connected with the magnetopheric process which generates the SAR arcs.     

Ring current protons in the upper atmosphere within the plasmasphere

keV protons observed by the ESRO 1A satellite in the upper atmosphere equatorward of the main precipitation zone are described and discussed. The protons are highly anisotropic (empty loss cone) between the low-latitude boundary of the main precipitation zone and approximately L=4 during quiet and moderately disturbed conditions (K_p=0?4). Between L=4 and L=2.7 the proton flux is generally enhanced compared to that at L values somewhat above 4 and only moderately anisotropic. Substorms push the outer main precipitation zone equatorwards, but the boundaries of the innermost, moderately anisotropic region (at L=2.7 and L=4) move only when strong magnetic storms compress the plasmasphere to within L=4. It is suggested that the moderately anisotropic zone is caused by the ion-cyclotron instability for which the growth rate may have a broad maximum between about L=2.7 and L=4. For proton energies in the keV range the instability is excited only in regions with cold plasma densities above several hundred ions per cubic centimeter. It is finally concluded that the observations of low-latitude proton precipitation lend further support to the mechanism of ion-cyclotron instability as the cause of proton pitch angle diffusion, as proposed by Cornwall et al. (1970).     

Pitch-angle scattering of energetic protons in the magnetotail current sheet as the dominant source of their isotropic precipitation into the nightside ionosphere

Characteristics of the nightside isotropic precipitation of energetic protons during a period of 4 quiet days has been studied using data from the ESRO 1A satellite. The observed features of the equatorward precipitation boundary (its thickness, energy dependence, dynamics, dependence of its latitudinal position on the magnetic field at the geosynchronous orbit, etc.) were found to be in good agreement with calculations based on recent magnetospheric magnetic field models. We argue that the mechanism of non-adiabatic pitchangle scattering in the equatorial current sheet is a dominant source of isotropic precipitation of energetic protons observed in the nightside auroral zone. Observations of the isotropic precipitation boundary can be used for monitoring the changes in the magnetotail current intensity.     

Drift instabilities associated with the particles in ring current and inner edge of plasma sheet

Electromagnetic waves propagating transverse to the magnetic field, containing inhomogenous and loss cone plasma, may become unstable due to the excitation of resonant proton, resonant electron and drift cyclotron instabilities. Resonant proton instability gets excited in inhomogenous plasma, irrespective of the presence of temperature anisotropy, loss cone or temperature gradient. However, the growth rate of this instability is much smaller than the other two instabilities. The maximum growth rates of resonant electron instability are enhanced with the increase of loss cone index, gradients in transverse temperature and magnetic field, and with the decrease of temperature anisotropy and gradients in density and parallel temperature. The drift cyclotron instability exists in a bounded range of wave numbers and its growth rate increases with the increase of electron temperature, density and magnetic field gradient, and with the decrease of proton temperature and temperature anisotropy. In the region of ring current for beyond plasmapause the resonant proton and resonant electron instabilities have the characterstic frequencies around 0.1Ω_p and growth rates ~10^?6Ω_p and 10^?3Ω_p, respectively. In the ring current region the drift cyclotron instability is not excited whereas in the plasma sheet region the frequency and growth rate of this instability are around Ω_p and 10^?2Ω_p, respectively. These instabilities can accelerate the ring current particles along the magnetic field lines and dump them into the auroral region.     

The behaviour of the geomagnetic pulsations near the boundary of the plasmasphere

Based on the observational data obtained at eleven stations along a geomagnetic meridian (Φm = 45–63°), the characteristics of pc 3, 4 pulsations are investigated. It has been shown that pc 3, 4 pulsations possess two amplitude maxima: one in the high latitudes and the other in middle latitudes. Consequently, the amplitude minimum between the two maxima is observed in subauroral latitudes (Φm ≈ 60°). Examining the peculiarities of the polarization behaviour of pc 3, 4 pulsations along the meridian array, two different regions, where the pulsations are generated, are noticed. One is situated in the middle latitudes of about 55–60°, and the other in the auroral area of about 65–70° in geomagnetic latitude. The former region corresponds to a projection of an area inside the plasmapause and the latter of an area of the outer radiation belt in the magnetosphere. The dependence of the pc 3, 4 periods on the position of the plasmapause is clarified. It is also shown that both the position of the pc 3 amplitude maximum in the middle latitudes and the position of pc 4 minimum in the subauroral area shift according to the variation in the magnetic activity and the position of plasmapause.The dynamic spectra of the simultaneous wave-packets of Pc-pulsations are investigated along the meridional profile. The maximum time delay of the Pc-signals is found at a latitude of about 57°, corresponding to the region of low values of Alfvén velocity inside the plasmasphere. On the other hand, a sharp decrease in the time delay is observed at a latitude of about 60°, the region of the rapid increase of Alfvén velocity at the plasmaspheric boundary in the magnetosphere.     

The behaviour of outer radiation belt electrons (> 1·5 MeV) during a geomagnetically disturbed time on 8 March 1970 and its relationship to magnetospheric processes

Omnidirectional intensities of electrons with energies E_e > 1·5 MeV detected by a low orbiting polar satellite (GRS-A/AZUR) in the outer radiation belt are examined during disturbed times including the main phase of a very strong geomagnetic storm on 8 March 1970. The particle intensity features are discussed in relationship with proposed magnetospheric processes. It is found that a superposition of the two following effects can explain the particle behavior in the trapping region:(A) Radial diffusion. After the southward turning of the interplanetary field an inward motion of both the energetic electron belt and the plasmapause took place. This effect was observed at L > 3 R_E and we attribute it to enhanced magnetospheric electric field fluctuations. Later, a strong interplanetary shock impinged upon the magnetosphere which was related to the triggering of intense magnetospheric substorms; a further inward diffusion occurred at L ? 3 R_E, accompanied by an inward movement of the electron slot. A rough estimation of the diffusion coefficient leads to a power spectrum of the electric field fluctuations which seems to be consistent with experimentally determined power spectra (Mozer, 1971).(B) Adiabatic response to ring current changes. Large energetic electron intensity decreases within the outer radiation belt are shown to be adiabatic changes due to ring current variations. The influence of the inflation of the magnetosphere due to the developing ring current is simultaneously observed by the decrease of the solar proton outoff (1·7-2·5 MeV).     

Precipitation of > 115 kev protons in the evening and forenoon sectors in relation to the magnetic activity

Data from a low altitude polar orbiting satellite, on auroral protons >115 keV in the evening and forenoon sectors, are presented.In the forenoon sector there is a weak but fairly steady precipitation at Λ ≈ 75° during quiet conditions. This precipitation is situated at higher invariant latitudes at local noon than at local dawn and can probably be ascribed to the high energy tail of the polar cleft protons. During moderately disturbed conditions, especially during the recovery phase of geomagnetic storms, there are some seemingly more “impulsive” precipitation events at Λ ≈ 65°. During very disturbed conditions these two precipitation zones in the forenoon sector seem to merge.In the evening sector a rather sharp equatorward boundary of the main precipitation, at Λ ≈ 69° during quiet conditions, varies fairly smoothly from pass to pass. South of this boundary, at invariant latitudes around 62°, there is a steady weak drizzle from the radiation belt. Due to a longitudinal effect this drizzle, as recorded by the satellite, shows a diurnal variation.The equatorward boundaries of the main precipitation at both local times move equatorward with increasing ring current strength. When D_st gets less than about — 100nT, the poleward boundaries are found to move equatorward too. From an attempt to reveal some of the substorm-dependent changes of the precipitation it is found that an equatorward shift of the precipitation areas takes place during, or just prior to, the substorm expansive phase, accompanied by a large intensity increase in the evening sector, whereas the recovery phase is linked with a poleward expansion of the precipitation at both local times.     

Enhanced energetic electron intensities at 100 km altitude and a whistler propagating through the plasmasphere

During the flight of a Petrel rocket, instrumented by the SRC Radio and Space Research Station with Geiger counters and launched westwards from South Uist, Outer Hebrides, Scotland (L=3.38), a transient increase was observed in the intensity of energetic electrons having pitch angles between 60 and 120°. The increase, by a factor of 20 above the quasi-steady intensity observed throughout the remainder of the flight, occurred in 0.8 sec and was simultaneous for both >45 keV and >110 keV electrons. Recorded ～0.5 sec later, on the ground, was a two-hop whistler. During the enhanced electron intensity event, the entire duration of which was ～6 sec, the four-, six- and eight-hop whistlers were also received. From an analysis of the whistlers' spectrogram, it is concluded that the whistlers were ducted through the magnetosphere along the L=3.3 ±0.1 field line; the electron density in the equatorial plane is found to be 330 ±10 cm^?3, a value characteristic of conditions within the plasmapause. It is suggested that these temporally and/or spatially associated phenomena, rather than arising by a chance coincidence, were the result of a gyroresonant interaction between energetic electrons and whistler mode waves moving in opposite directions. For gyroresonance on this field line at the equator, the parallel component of energy of the electrons is 25 keV at 3 kHz in the whistler band, or 100 keV at 1 kHz below it. It is suggested that a magnetospheric event occurred, causing both sudden enhanced electron precipitation and favourable conditions for the propagation and/or amplification of whistlers. A possible explanation is that energetic electrons, having a sufficiently anisotropic distribution function and associated with those injected during an earlier auroral substorm, become unstable via the transverse resonance instability when they drift into the plasmasphere, a region of high density thermal plasma.     

Generation of hiss beyond plasmapause by magnetosonic waves

Magnetosonic waves near the harmonics of proton cyclotron frequency can become unstable in the presence of oxygen ions in the ring current. For cos θ = 0 (θ being the angle between the wave vector and the geomagnetic field) the growth rates are peaked at some optimum value of the oxygen ion density, whereas for cos θ ≠ 0 they are reduced with the increase of oxygen ion density. The presence of hot oxygen ions can generate instability near the harmonics of oxygen cyclotron frequency. The growth rates are enhanced with the increase of cos θ. This mechanism can generate discrete spectrum of ELF hiss beyond the plasmapause.