Particle acceleration by kinetic Alfvén waves in the IO plasma torus
Abstract
The generation of surface waves due to a strong gradient in the plasma density and its coupling to kinetic Alfvén waves near the Io plasma torus are found to be a viable mechanism for particle acceleration leading to a beam of energetic electrons along the magnetic field. It is shown that acceleration to a few kiloelectronvolts is possible and this might explain the intense auroral hiss observed near the inner edge of the Io plasma torus by Voyager 1.
- Publication:
-
Planetary and Space Science
- Pub Date:
- November 1992
- DOI:
- 10.1016/0032-0633(92)90046-Q
- Bibcode:
- 1992P&SS...40.1499D
- Keywords:
-
- Io;
- Magnetohydrodynamic Waves;
- Particle Acceleration;
- Plasma Density;
- Surface Waves;
- Toroidal Plasmas;
- Electron Beams;
- Energetic Particles;
- Magnetic Field Configurations;
- Magnetohydrodynamic Stability;
- Wave Generation;
- Lunar and Planetary Exploration