X-ray Emissions From the Earth's Ionosphere - PIXIE Observations
Abstract
In this study we examine observations of global X-ray bremsstrahlung from the Earth's polar regions as observed by the POLAR Ionospheric X-ray Imaging Experiment (PIXIE) instrument on board the NASA/GGS POLAR spacecraft. The emitted X rays are observed as a consequence of geomagnetic storm and substorm activity, as high energy (> 2 keV) magnetospheric electrons precipitate into the upper ionosphere. We discuss the physical mechanisms which at least qualitatively describe the observations, including the effects that electron precipitation have on polar region ionospheric conductivity, as a function of local time and season. Qualitative and quantitative comparisons with other sets of observations of upper atmospheric emissions are also described. Other observations of X rays from PIXIE are also briefly described, including solar X rays scattered from the Earth's dayside ionosphere, and cosmic X-ray sources.
- Publication:
-
AGU Spring Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- May 2001
- Bibcode:
- 2001AGUSM..SH22D01P
- Keywords:
-
- 2431 Ionosphere/magnetosphere interactions (2736);
- 2455 Particle precipitation;
- 2499 General or miscellaneous;
- 2704 Auroral phenomena (2407);
- 7554 X rays;
- gamma rays;
- and neutrinos