Energy dispersion and acceleration of low energy protons and their relation to electrons during an auroral breakup
Abstract
Data from simultaneous rocket-borne proton and electron measurement experiments in the keV range conducted during an auroral breakup are presented, and a clear correlation is shown in the proton and electron flux variations. The measured proton spectral variations showing a sequence of peaks in the energy range 13-5 keV are related to intense electron precipitation and interpreted in terms of energy dispersion of the protons over a distance of about nine earth radii. The measured differential proton spectra for the flight could generally be fitted by a power law with slope about 0.7. The pitch angle distribution of the protons was typically isotropic over the upper hemisphere
- Publication:
-
Journal of Geophysics Zeitschrift Geophysik
- Pub Date:
- 1982
- Bibcode:
- 1982JGZG...50..189U
- Keywords:
-
- Auroral Zones;
- Electron Precipitation;
- Energy Dissipation;
- Particle Acceleration;
- Polar Substorms;
- Proton Energy;
- Electron Energy;
- Electron Flux Density;
- Energy Spectra;
- Magnetic Storms;
- Rocket Sounding