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Electron distribution function behavior during localized transverse ion acceleration events in the topside auroral zoneThe Topaz3 auroral sounding rocket made the following observations concerning the transfer of precipitating auroral electron energy to transverse ion acceleration in the topside auroral zone. During the course of the flight, the precipitating electron beam was modified to varying degrees by interaction with VLF hiss, at times changing the beam into a field-aligned plateau. The electron distribution functions throughout the flight are classified according to the extent of this modification, and correspondences with ion acceleration events are sought. The hiss power during most of this rocket flight apparently exceeded the threshold for collapse into solitary structures. At the times of plateaued electron distributions, the collapse of these structures was limited by Landau damping through the ambient ions, resulting in a velocity-dependent acceleration of both protons and oxygen. This initial acceleration is sufficient to supply the number flux of upflowing ions observed at satellite altitudes. The bursty ion acceleration was anticorrelated, on 1-s or smaller timescales, with dispersive bursts of precipitating field-aligned electrons, although on longer timescales the bursty ions and the bursty electrons are correlated.
Document ID
19950037021
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
External Source(s)
Authors
Lynch, K. A.
(University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH United States)
Arnoldy, R. L.
(University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH United States)
Kintner, P. M.
(Cornell University Ithaca, NY, United States)
Vago, J. L.
(European Space Agency Noordwijk, Netherlands)
Date Acquired
August 16, 2013
Publication Date
February 1, 1994
Publication Information
Publication: Journal of Geophysical Research
Volume: 99
Issue: A2
ISSN: 0148-0227
Subject Category
Geophysics
Accession Number
95A68620
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: N00014-90-C-0003
CONTRACT_GRANT: NAG6-12
CONTRACT_GRANT: NAG5-601
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other

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