Global characteristics of field-aligned acceleration processes associated with auroral arcs
Abstract
The particle and aurora image data obtained from the DMSP-F6 and -F7 satellites are analyzed in order to study the global characteristics of field-aligned acceleration processes associated with auroral arcs. The intensities of auroral emissions for 5577-A, 6300-A, and N2(1PG) are calculated using the observed electron flux and the two-stream electron transport code to show that the fluxes of precipitating electrons are sufficient to produce visible auroral arcs. Global distributions are obtained for the field-aligned potential difference, magnetospheric electron density and thermal energy, electron heating rate during the acceleration, and auroral emission intensities for magnetic quiet and active periods, respectively. It is found that the field-aligned potential difference increases as magnetospheric electron density and adiabatic field-aligned conductivity decrease, suggesting the constant-current generator for the magnetosphere-ionosphere current circuit.
- Publication:
-
Journal of Geomagnetism and Geoelectricity
- Pub Date:
- 1991
- DOI:
- 10.5636/jgg.43.691
- Bibcode:
- 1991JGG....43..691S
- Keywords:
-
- Auroral Arcs;
- Electron Precipitation;
- Field Aligned Currents;
- Ionospheric Electron Density;
- Satellite Observation;
- Dmsp Satellites;
- Earth Magnetosphere;
- Magnetosphere-Ionosphere Coupling;
- Maxwell-Boltzmann Density Function;
- Thermal Energy