scholarly journals A new scenario applying traffic flow analogy to poleward expansion of auroras

2019 ◽  
Vol 37 (3) ◽  
pp. 381-387 ◽  
Author(s):  
Osuke Saka
Keyword(s):  
Electric Fields ◽  
Large Degree ◽  
Flow Channel ◽  
Initial Pulse ◽  
Low Latitude ◽  
Ion Acoustic Wave ◽  
Pi2 Pulsations ◽  
Transport Effects ◽  
Field Lines ◽  
Auroral Expansion

Abstract. Transient westward electric fields from the magnetosphere generate equatorward plasma drifts of the order of kilometers per second in the auroral ionosphere. This flow channel extends in north–south directions and is produced in the initial pulse of Pi2 pulsations associated with the field line dipolarization. Drifts in the ionosphere of the order of kilometers per second that accumulated plasmas at the low-latitude end of the flow channel are of such large degree that possible vertical transport effects (including precipitation) along the field lines may be ignored. In this condition, we suggest that plasma compression in the ionosphere initiated the dynamic ionosphere. The dynamic ionosphere includes a nonlinear evolution of the compressed ionospheric plasmas, generation of field-aligned currents to satisfy the quasi-neutrality of the ionosphere, and parallel potentials associated with the excitation of an ion acoustic wave. We will study how the dynamic ionosphere created auroral expansion.

scholarly journals A new scenario applying traffic flow analogy to poleward expansion of auroras

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Osuke Saka
Keyword(s):  
Acoustic Wave ◽  
Electric Fields ◽  
Electrostatic Potential ◽  
Ion Acoustic Wave ◽  
F Region ◽  
Electrons And Ions ◽  
Ion Acoustic ◽  
E Region ◽  
Field Lines ◽  
Poleward Expansion

Abstract. An auroral ionosphere is generally incompressive and non-uniform medium with anisotropic conductivities. Compressibility may occur, however, following the onset of field line dipolarization. This behavior can happen when; (1) Westward directing electric fields transmitted from the dipolarization region accumulate both electrons and ions in equatorward latitudes in F region. (2) The mobility difference of electrons and ions in E region produces electrostatic potential in a quasi-neutral condition, positive in higher latitudes and negative in lower latitudes. (3) Density modulation in F region excites ion acoustic wave propagating along the field lines towards the magnetosphere. (4) The ion acoustic wave stops in the ionosphere for about 4 min because of a low phase velocity (~ 1.6 km/s). During this compressive interval, density accumulation in equatorward latitudes expands upstream to form a poleward expansion of auroras analogous to upstream propagation of a shock in traffic flow on crowded roads. Electrostatic potential produced in the E region generates field-aligned currents and closing Pedersen currents to retain electrostatic potential in a quasi-neutral ionosphere. The ion acoustic wave produces upward electric fields along the field lines in accordance with the Boltzmann relation which contributed to the ion upflow at topside ionosphere.

scholarly journals RF-Carpets that Compress Ions to High Density Beams

2015 ◽  
Vol 21 (S4) ◽  
pp. 84-89
Author(s):  
H. Wollnik ◽  
F. Arai ◽  
Y. Ito ◽  
P. Schury ◽  
M. Wada
Keyword(s):  
Phase Space ◽  
Electric Field ◽  
Electric Fields ◽  
Ion Beams ◽  
High Density ◽  
Ion Density ◽  
Field Lines

AbstractIons that are moved by electric fields in gases follow quite exactly the electric field lines since these ions have substantially lost their kinetic energies in collisions with gas atoms or molecules and so carry no momenta. Shaping the electric fields appropriately the phase space such ion beams occupy can be reduced and correspondingly the ion density of beams be increased.

scholarly journals Mapping of steady-state electric fields and convective drifts in geomagnetic fields – Part 1: Elementary models

2016 ◽  
Vol 34 (1) ◽  
pp. 55-65 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. D. M. Walker ◽  
G. J. Sofko
Keyword(s):  
Magnetic Field ◽  
Steady State ◽  
Electric Field ◽  
Electric Fields ◽  
Magnetic Field Line ◽  
Geomagnetic Field ◽  
Geomagnetic Field Models ◽  
Spatial Derivatives ◽  
Field Lines ◽  
The Magnetic Field

Abstract. When studying magnetospheric convection, it is often necessary to map the steady-state electric field, measured at some point on a magnetic field line, to a magnetically conjugate point in the other hemisphere, or the equatorial plane, or at the position of a satellite. Such mapping is relatively easy in a dipole field although the appropriate formulae are not easily accessible. They are derived and reviewed here with some examples. It is not possible to derive such formulae in more realistic geomagnetic field models. A new method is described in this paper for accurate mapping of electric fields along field lines, which can be used for any field model in which the magnetic field and its spatial derivatives can be computed. From the spatial derivatives of the magnetic field three first order differential equations are derived for the components of the normalized element of separation of two closely spaced field lines. These can be integrated along with the magnetic field tracing equations and Faraday's law used to obtain the electric field as a function of distance measured along the magnetic field line. The method is tested in a simple model consisting of a dipole field plus a magnetotail model. The method is shown to be accurate, convenient, and suitable for use with more realistic geomagnetic field models.

scholarly journals Effects of solar eclipse on the electrodynamical processes of the equatorial ionosphere: a case study during 11 August 1999 dusk time total solar eclipse over India

2002 ◽  
Vol 20 (12) ◽  
pp. 1977-1985 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Sridharan ◽  
C. V. Devasia ◽  
N. Jyoti ◽  
Diwakar Tiwari ◽  
K. S. Viswanathan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Electric Fields ◽  
Solar Eclipse ◽  
Equatorial Ionosphere ◽  
Hf Radar ◽  
F Region ◽  
Large Enhancement ◽  
Temporal Structures ◽  
E Region ◽  
Field Lines ◽  
Electric Fields And Currents

Abstract. The effects on the electrodynamics of the equatorial E- and F-regions of the ionosphere, due to the occurrence of the solar eclipse during sunset hours on 11 August 1999, were investigated in a unique observational campaign involving ground based ionosondes, VHF and HF radars from the equatorial location of Trivandrum (8.5° N; 77° E; dip lat. 0.5° N), India. The study revealed the nature of changes brought about by the eclipse in the evening time E- and F-regions in terms of (i) the sudden intensification of a weak blanketing ES-layer and the associated large enhancement of the VHF backscattered returns, (ii) significant increase in h' F immediately following the eclipse and (iii) distinctly different spatial and temporal structures in the spread-F irregularity drift velocities as observed by the HF radar. The significantly large enhancement of the backscattered returns from the E-region coincident with the onset of the eclipse is attributed to the generation of steep electron density gradients associated with the blanketing ES , possibly triggered by the eclipse phenomena. The increase in F-region base height immediately after the eclipse is explained as due to the reduction in the conductivity of the conjugate E-region in the path of totality connected to the F-region over the equator along the magnetic field lines, and this, with the peculiar local and regional conditions, seems to have reduced the E-region loading of the F-region dynamo, resulting in a larger post sunset F-region height (h' F) rise. These aspects of E-and F-region behaviour on the eclipse day are discussed in relation to those observed on the control day.Key words. Ionosphere (electric fields and currents; equatorial ionosphere; ionospheric irregularities)

scholarly journals Magnetic field configuration and field-aligned acceleration of energetic ions during substorm onsets

2001 ◽  
Vol 19 (9) ◽  
pp. 1089-1094 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Korth ◽  
Z. Y. Pu
Keyword(s):  
Magnetic Field ◽  
Electric Fields ◽  
Plasma Sheet ◽  
Field Configuration ◽  
Local Magnetic Field ◽  
Magnetospheric Configuration And Dynamics ◽  
Night Side ◽  
Field Lines ◽  
Synchronous Orbit ◽  
Substorm Onsets

Abstract. In this paper, we present an interpretation of the observed field-aligned acceleration events measured by GEOS-2 near the night-side synchronous orbit at substorm onsets (Chen et al., 2000). We show that field-aligned acceleration of ions (with pitch angle asymmetry) is closely related to strong short-lived electric fields in the Ey direction. The acceleration is associated with either rapid dipolarization or further stretching of local magnetic field lines. Theoretical analysis suggests that a centrifugal mechanism is a likely candidate for the parallel energization. Equatorward or anti-equatorward energization occurs when the tail current sheet is thinner tailward or earthward of the spacecraft, respectively. The magnetic field topology leading to anti-equatorward energization corresponds to a situation where the near-Earth tail undergoes further compression and the inner edge of the plasma sheet extends inwards as close as the night-side geosynchronous altitudes.Key words. Magnetospheric physics (magnetospheric configuration and dynamics; plasma sheet; storms and sub-storms)

scholarly journals The occurrence frequency of auroral potential structures and electric fields as a function of altitude using Polar/EFI data

2004 ◽  
Vol 22 (4) ◽  
pp. 1233-1250 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. Janhunen ◽  
A. Olsson ◽  
H. Laakso
Keyword(s):  
Electric Field ◽  
High Altitude ◽  
Electric Fields ◽  
Radial Distance ◽  
Plasma Potential ◽  
Potential Structure ◽  
New Finding ◽  
Low Altitude ◽  
Field Lines ◽  
Auroral Arcs

Abstract. The aim of the paper is to study how auroral potential structures close at high altitude. We analyse all electric field data collected by Polar on auroral field lines in 1996–2001 by integrating the electric field along the spacecraft orbit to obtain the plasma potential, from which we identify potential minima by an automatic method. From these we estimate the associated effective mapped-down electric field Ei, defined as the depth of the potential minimum divided by its half-width in the ionosphere. Notice that although we use the ionosphere as a reference altitude, the field Ei does not actually exist in the ionosphere but is just a convenient computational quantity. We obtain the statistical distribution of Ei as a function of altitude, magnetic local time (MLT), Kp index and the footpoint solar illumination condition. Surprisingly, we find two classes of electric field structures. The first class consists of the low-altitude potential structures that are presumably associated with inverted-V regions and discrete auroral arcs and their set of associated phenomena. We show that the first class exists only below ~3RE radial distance, and it occurs in all nightside MLT sectors (RE=Earth radius). The second class exists only above radial distance R=4RE and almost only in the midnight MLT sector, with a preference for high Kp values. Interestingly, in the middle altitudes (R=3–4RE) the number of potential minima is small, suggesting that the low and high altitude classes are not simple field-aligned extensions of each other. This is also underlined by the fact that statistically the high altitude structures seem to be substorm-related, while the low altitude structures seem to correspond to stable auroral arcs. The new finding of the existence of the two classes is important for theories of auroral acceleration, since it supports a closed potential structure model for stable arcs, while during substorms, different superposed processes take place that are associated with the disconnected high-altitude electric field structures. Key words. Magnetospheric physics (electric fields; auroral phenomena) – Space plasma physics (electrostatic structures)

scholarly journals The ionospheric behavior in conjugate hemispheres during the 3 October 2005 solar eclipse

2009 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
pp. 179-184 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. Le ◽  
L. Liu ◽  
X. Yue ◽  
W. Wan
Keyword(s):  
Electron Temperature ◽  
Solar Eclipse ◽  
Peak Height ◽  
Electron Content ◽  
Low Latitude ◽  
Total Electron ◽  
Critical Frequency Fof2 ◽  
Field Lines ◽  
The Magnetic Field ◽  
Gps Station

Abstract. We investigate the ionospheric behavior in conjugate hemispheres during the 3 October 2005 solar eclipse, on the basis of observations of electron temperature (Te) from the Defense Meteorological Satellites Program (DMSP) spacecraft, F2 layer critical frequency (foF2) and F2 layer peak height (hmF2) at the Grahamstown ionosonde station, and total electron content (TEC) from the Global Positioning System (GPS) station SUTH. The observations show that when the eclipse occurred in the Northern Hemisphere, there was a decrease in Te, an increase in foF2 and TEC, and an uprising in hmF2 in its conjugate region compared with their reference values. We also simulated the ionosphere behavior during this eclipse using a mid- and low-latitude ionospheric model. The simulations agree well with the observations. Because of the eclipse effect, there are far fewer photoelectrons travelling along the magnetic field lines from the eclipse region to the conjugate region, resulting in reduced photoelectron heating in the conjugate hemisphere which causes a drop in electron temperature and subsequent disturbances in the region.

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