Field-aligned Electric Field and Currents in the Polar cap

The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory open-field line particle precipitation model (APL-OPM) model predicts downward field-aligned electric field to maintain charge quasi-neutrality. Previous studies confirmed the existence of such electric fields. However, the present study shows that upward field-aligned electric field can be found within upward field-aligned current (FAC) region. In the upward FAC region, upward electric field that accelerates electron downward is seen with the occurrence rates of 82%-96%. In contrast, the occurrence rates in the downward FAC regions are 3%-11%. Polar rain electrons located in the upward FAC region adjacent to closed field lines often show a ramping up of energy with increasing latitude before reaching a plateau. This plateau may be attributed to the magnetosheath electrons that progressively have higher anti-sunward velocity and lower density with increasing distance from the subsolar point before they asymptotically reach the solar wind values.