Two- and three-dimensional structures of the descent of mesospheric trace constituents after the 2013 sudden stratospheric warming elevated stratopause event

We use the Specified Dynamics version of the Whole Atmosphere Community Climate Model Extended (SD-WACCMX) to model the descent of nitric oxide (NO) and other mesospheric tracers in the extended, elevated stratopause phase of the 2013 sudden stratospheric warming (SSW). The dynamics are specified with a high-altitude version of the Navy Global Environmental Model (NAVGEM-HA). Consistent with our earlier published results, we find that using a high-altitude meteorological analysis to nudge WACCMX allows for a realistic simulation of the descent of lower-thermospheric nitric oxide down to the lower mesosphere, near 60 km. This is important because these simulations only included auroral electrons and did not consider additional sources of NO from higher-energy particles that might directly produce ionization, and hence nitric oxide, below 80–85 km. This suggests that the so-called energetic particle precipitation indirect effect (EPP-IE) can be accurately simulated, at least in years of low geomagnetic activity, such as 2013, without the need for additional NO production, provided the meteorology is accurately constrained. Despite the general success of WACCMX in bringing upper-mesospheric NO down to 55–60 km, a detailed comparison of the WACCMX fields with the analyzed NAVGEM-HA H2O and satellite NO and H2O data from the Solar Occultation for Ice Experiment (SOFIE) and the Atmospheric Chemistry Experiment-Fourier Transform Spectrometer (ACE-FTS) reveals significant differences in the latitudinal and longitudinal distributions at lower altitudes. This stems from the tendency for WACCMX descent to maximize at sub-polar latitudes, and while such sub-polar descent is seen in the NAVGEM-HA analysis, it is more transient than in the WACCMX simulation. These differences are linked to differences in the transformed Eulerian mean (TEM) circulation between NAVGEM-HA and WACCMX, most likely arising from differences in how gravity wave forcing is represented. To attempt to compensate for the differing distributions of model vs. observed NO and to enable us to quantify the total amount of upper-atmospheric NO delivered to the stratopause region, we use potential vorticity and equivalent latitude coordinates. Preliminary results suggest both model and observations are generally consistent with NO totals in the range of 0.1–0.25 gigamoles (GM).

Probing the Jupiter-Io interaction with synergistic measurements of radio and ultraviolet auroral emissions from Juno, Nançay and HST observatories

<p>The prominent component of Jovian decametric (auroral) emissions is induced by Io. Io decametric emissions (Io-DAM) have thus been monitored on a regular basis by Earth- or Space-based radio observatories for several decades. They display a typical arc-shaped structure in the time-frequency plane which results from the motion of the Io flux tube relative to the observer convolved with the anisotropic radio emission cone. Remote determination of the Io-DAM beaming pattern was used to check the emission conditions at the source (e.g. Queinnec & Zarka, 1998). It has been done at several occasions using various models of magnetic field/lead angles which introduce significant uncertainties. Nevertheless, Io-DAM arcs were shown to be consistent with oblique emissions triggered by the Cyclotron maser Instability from loss-cone electron distributions of a few keVs (Hess et al., 2008). The CMI validity for Jovian DAM and the prominence of loss cone electron distributions has been later confirmed by Juno in situ measurements (e.g. Louarn et al, 2017). In this study, we took advantage of simultaneous radio/UV or bi-point stereoscopic radio measurements provided by Juno/Waves, the Nançay Decameter Array and the Hubble Space Telescope to unambiguously derive the beaming pattern of several Io-DAM arcs and compare it with theoretical expectations. We then assess the energy of CMI-unstable auroral electrons at the source and discuss our results at the light of similar independent studies reaching different conclusions.</p>

Laboratory measurements of the physics of auroral electron acceleration by Alfvén waves

While the aurora has attracted attention for millennia, important questions remain unanswered. Foremost is how auroral electrons are accelerated before colliding with the ionosphere and producing auroral light. Powerful Alfvén waves are often found traveling Earthward above auroras with sufficient energy to generate auroras, but there has been no direct measurement of the processes by which Alfvén waves transfer their energy to auroral electrons. Here, we show laboratory measurements of the resonant transfer of energy from Alfvén waves to electrons under conditions relevant to the auroral zone. Experiments are performed by launching Alfvén waves and simultaneously recording the electron velocity distribution. Numerical simulations and analytical theory support that the measured energy transfer process produces accelerated electrons capable of reaching auroral energies. The experiments, theory, and simulations demonstrate a clear causal relationship between Alfvén waves and accelerated electrons that directly cause auroras.

2 and 3-dimensional structure of the descent of mesospheric trace constituents after the 2013 SSW elevated stratopause event

We use the Specified Dynamics version of the Whole Atmosphere Community Climate Model Extended (SD-WACCMX) to model the descent of nitric oxide (NO) and other mesospheric tracers in the extended, elevated stratopause phase of the 2013 Sudden Stratospheric Warming (SSW). The dynamics are specified with a high altitude version of the Navy Global Environmental model (NAVGEM-HA). Consistent with our earlier published results, we find that using a high altitude meteorological analysis to nudge WACCMX allows for a realistic simulation of the descent of lower thermospheric nitric oxide down to the lower mesosphere, near 60 km. This is important because these simulations only included auroral electrons, and did not consider additional sources of NO from higher energy particles, for example, medium energy electron precipitation (> 30 keV). This suggests that the so-called energetic particle precipitation indirect effect (EPP-IE) can be accurately simulated, at least in years of low geomagnetic activity, such as 2013, without the need for additional NO production, provided the meteorology is accurately constrained. Despite the general success of WACCMX in simulating mesospheric NO, a detailed comparison of the WACCMX fields with the analyzed NAVGEM-HA H2O and satellite NO and H2O data from the Solar Occultation for Ice Experiment (SOFIE) and the Atmospheric Chemistry Experiment-Fourier Transform Spectrometer (ACE-FTS) reveals significant differences in the latitudinal and longitudinal distributions in the 45–55 km region. This stems from the tendency for WACCMX descent to maximize at sub-polar latitudes and while such sub-polar descent is seen in the NAVGEM-HA analysis, it is more transient than in the WACCMX simulation. These differences are linked to differences in the Transformed Eulerian Mean (TEM) circulation between NAVGEM-HA and WACCMX, most likely arising from small differences in how gravity wave forcing is represented. To attempt to compensate for the differing distributions of model vs. observed NO and to enable us to quantify the total amount of upper atmospheric NO delivered to the stratopause region, we use potential vorticity and equivalent latitude coordinates. Preliminary results suggest both model and observations are generally consistent with NO totals in the range of 0.1–0.25 gigamoles (GM).

A Comparative Study of Estimating Auroral Electron Energy from Ground-Based Hyperspectral Imagery and DMSP-SSJ5 Particle Data

Aurora, the spectacular phenomenon commonly occurring in high latitudes, is caused by the precipitation of energetic particles penetrating the Earth’s atmosphere. Being the result of solar-terrestrial interactions, electron precipitation significantly contributes to auroral production. To evaluate its magnitude, a physical quantity describing the characteristics of precipitating auroral electrons—their characteristic energy—is adopted. In this paper, this quantity is derived from joint data observed by the ground-based auroral spectroscopic imager located in Antarctica Zhongshan Station and the particle detectors “Special Sensor J5 (SSJ5)” on the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) satellites. A postprocessing scheme of ground-based spectral data is proposed to infer the characteristic energy that successively uses classical brute-force, recursive brute-force and self-consistent approximation strategies for step-up speed improvement. Then, the inferred characteristic energies are compared to the average energies calibrated from the relevant electron data detected by SSJ5 to confirm whether this inference is valid. Regarding DMSP F18/SSJ5, these two energy estimations about auroral electrons deviate slightly from each other and show a strong linear relationship. It sheds light on further applications of the valuable aurora spectral data.

Numerical Simulation of Spacecraft Charging Attributed to Ionospheric Plasma in Polar and Equatorial Environment

The presence of spacecraft in ionospheric plasma can change plasma properties, vice versa plasma can lead to charge buildup on spacecraft. The level of charging, through electric potential of spacecraft, initially depends on plasma density. However, simulations done on four LEO satellites, i.e. ERS 1, MIDORI, ASCA and FUSE 1, showed that charging level depends on plasma electron temperature rather than plasma density which satisfied the Boltzmann’s relation in the absence of high-energy electrons from aurora. The higher the plasma electron temperature the more spacecraft exposed to negative charging. It is assumed that plasma ions and electrons are collisionless or in Maxwellian distribution. It is found that there is no strong relation between density and charging level. Furthermore, there exists insignificant different of charging between polar and equatorial satellites. It means that the placement of satellite in polar or equatorial region, as long as the presence of auroral electrons is excluded, will suffer similar level of charging which is less than 5V (negative). Since spacecraft are exposed to negative charge, electric field generated by spacecraft potential, together with mesothermal motion effects, deflects ion trajectory into donwstream region leading to ion void region. The ion density is reduced compared to electron density, but there is no significant different of ion void feature between polar and equatorial satellites.and capacity building of beneficiaries.

Relative positions of the polar boundary of the outer electron radiation belt and the equatorial boundary of the auroral oval

Finding the position of the polar boundary of the outer electron radiation belt, relative to the position of the auroral oval, is a long-standing problem. Here we analyze it using the data of the METEOR-M1 auroral satellite for the period from 11 November 2009 to 27 March 2010. The geomagnetic conditions during the analyzed period were comparatively quiet. METEOR-M1 has a polar solar-synchronous circular orbit with an altitude of ≈832 km, a period of 101.3 min, and an inclination of 98∘. We analyze flux observations of auroral electrons with energies between 0.03 and 16 keV, and electrons with energies >100 keV, measured simultaneously by the GGAK-M set of instruments, composed of semiconductors, scintillator detectors, and electrostatic analyzers. We assume that in the absence of geomagnetic storms the polar boundary of the outer radiation belt can be identified as a decrease in the count rate of precipitating energetic electrons to the background level. It was found that this boundary can be located both inside the auroral oval or equatorward of the equatorial boundary of the auroral precipitation. It was also found that for slightly disturbed geomagnetic conditions the polar boundary of the outer radiation belt is almost always located inside the auroral oval. We observe that the difference between the position of the polar boundary of the outer radiation belt and the position of the equatorial boundary of the auroral precipitation depend on the AE and PC indices of geomagnetic activity. The implications of these results in the analysis of the formation of the outer radiation belt are discussed.