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Active auroral arc powered by accelerated electrons from very high altitudes. Sci Rep 2021; 11:1610. [PMID: 33462252 PMCID: PMC7814012 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-79665-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2020] [Accepted: 12/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Bright, discrete, thin auroral arcs are a typical form of auroras in nightside polar regions. Their light is produced by magnetospheric electrons, accelerated downward to obtain energies of several kilo electron volts by a quasi-static electric field. These electrons collide with and excite thermosphere atoms to higher energy states at altitude of ~ 100 km; relaxation from these states produces the auroral light. The electric potential accelerating the aurora-producing electrons has been reported to lie immediately above the ionosphere, at a few altitudes of thousand kilometres1. However, the highest altitude at which the precipitating electron is accelerated by the parallel potential drop is still unclear. Here, we show that active auroral arcs are powered by electrons accelerated at altitudes reaching greater than 30,000 km. We employ high-angular resolution electron observations achieved by the Arase satellite in the magnetosphere and optical observations of the aurora from a ground-based all-sky imager. Our observations of electron properties and dynamics resemble those of electron potential acceleration reported from low-altitude satellites except that the acceleration region is much higher than previously assumed. This shows that the dominant auroral acceleration region can extend far above a few thousand kilometres, well within the magnetospheric plasma proper, suggesting formation of the acceleration region by some unknown magnetospheric mechanisms.
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Longley W, Reiff P, Reistad JP, Østgaard N. Magnetospheric Model Performance during Conjugate Aurora. MAGNETOSPHERE-IONOSPHERE COUPLING IN THE SOLAR SYSTEM 2016. [DOI: 10.1002/9781119066880.ch18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- William Longley
- Department of Physics and Astronomy; Rice University; Houston TX USA
| | - Patricia Reiff
- Department of Physics and Astronomy; Rice University; Houston TX USA
| | - Jone Peter Reistad
- Department of Physics and Technology; University of Bergen; Bergen Norway
| | - Nikolai Østgaard
- Department of Physics and Technology; University of Bergen; Bergen Norway
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Ogasawara K, Grubbs G, Michell RG, Samara M, Stange JL, Trevino JA, Webster J, Jahn JM. Development and performance of a suprathermal electron spectrometer to study auroral precipitations. THE REVIEW OF SCIENTIFIC INSTRUMENTS 2016; 87:053307. [PMID: 27250414 DOI: 10.1063/1.4950901] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
The design, development, and performance of Medium-energy Electron SPectrometer (MESP), dedicated to the in situ observation of suprathermal electrons in the auroral ionosphere, are summarized in this paper. MESP employs a permanent magnet filter with a light tight structure to select electrons with proper energies guided to the detectors. A combination of two avalanche photodiodes and a large area solid-state detector (SSD) provided 46 total energy bins (1 keV resolution for 3-20 keV range for APDs, and 7 keV resolution for >20 keV range for SSDs). Multi-channel ultra-low power application-specific integrated circuits are also verified for the flight operation to read-out and analyze the detector signals. MESP was launched from Poker Flat Research Range on 3 March 2014 as a part of ground-to-rocket electrodynamics-electrons correlative experiment (GREECE) mission. MESP successfully measured the precipitating electrons from 3 to 120 keV in 120-ms time resolution and characterized the features of suprathermal distributions associated with auroral arcs throughout the flight. The measured electrons were showing the inverted-V type spectra, consistent with the past measurements. In addition, investigations of the suprathermal electron population indicated the existence of the energetic non-thermal distribution corresponding to the brightest aurora.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keiichi Ogasawara
- Southwest Research Institute, 6220 Culebra Road, San Antonio, Texas 78238, USA
| | - Guy Grubbs
- University of Texas at San Antonio, One UTSA circle, San Antonio, Texas 78249, USA
| | - Robert G Michell
- Goddard Space Flight Center, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, 8800 Greenbelt Rd, Greenbelt, Maryland 20771, USA
| | - Marilia Samara
- Goddard Space Flight Center, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, 8800 Greenbelt Rd, Greenbelt, Maryland 20771, USA
| | - Jason L Stange
- Southwest Research Institute, 6220 Culebra Road, San Antonio, Texas 78238, USA
| | - John A Trevino
- Southwest Research Institute, 6220 Culebra Road, San Antonio, Texas 78238, USA
| | - James Webster
- Southwest Research Institute, 6220 Culebra Road, San Antonio, Texas 78238, USA
| | - Jörg-Micha Jahn
- Southwest Research Institute, 6220 Culebra Road, San Antonio, Texas 78238, USA
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Omura Y, Heikkila WJ, Umeda T, Ninomiya K, Matsumoto H. Particle simulation of plasma response to an applied electric field parallel to magnetic field lines. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2003. [DOI: 10.1029/2002ja009573] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Y. Omura
- Radio Science Center for Space and Atmosphere; Kyoto University; Uji, Kyoto Japan
| | - W. J. Heikkila
- Center for Space Sciences; University of Texas at Dallas; Richardson Texas USA
| | - T. Umeda
- Radio Science Center for Space and Atmosphere; Kyoto University; Uji, Kyoto Japan
| | - K. Ninomiya
- Radio Science Center for Space and Atmosphere; Kyoto University; Uji, Kyoto Japan
| | - H. Matsumoto
- Radio Science Center for Space and Atmosphere; Kyoto University; Uji, Kyoto Japan
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Marklund GT, Ivchenko N, Karlsson T, Fazakerley A, Dunlop M, Lindqvist PA, Buchert S, Owen C, Taylor M, Vaivalds A, Carter P, André M, Balogh A. Temporal evolution of the electric field accelerating electrons away from the auroral ionosphere. Nature 2001; 414:724-7. [PMID: 11742392 DOI: 10.1038/414724a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 100] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
The bright night-time aurorae that are visible to the unaided eye are caused by electrons accelerated towards Earth by an upward-pointing electric field. On adjacent geomagnetic field lines the reverse process occurs: a downward-pointing electric field accelerates electrons away from Earth. Such magnetic-field-aligned electric fields in the collisionless plasma above the auroral ionosphere have been predicted, but how they could be maintained is still a matter for debate. The spatial and temporal behaviour of the electric fields-a knowledge of which is crucial to an understanding of their nature-cannot be resolved uniquely by single satellite measurements. Here we report on the first observations by a formation of identically instrumented satellites crossing a beam of upward-accelerated electrons. The structure of the electric potential accelerating the beam grew in magnitude and width for about 200 s, accompanied by a widening of the downward-current sheet, with the total current remaining constant. The 200-s timescale suggests that the evacuation of the electrons from the ionosphere contributes to the formation of the downward-pointing magnetic-field-aligned electric fields. This evolution implies a growing load in the downward leg of the current circuit, which may affect the visible discrete aurorae.
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Affiliation(s)
- G T Marklund
- Division of Plasma Physics, Alfvén Laboratory, KTH, Royal Institute of Technology, SE 10044 Stockholm, Sweden.
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Shiokawa K, Baumjohann W, Haerendel G, Fukunishi H. High- and low-altitude observations of adiabatic parameters associated with auroral electron acceleration. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2000. [DOI: 10.1029/1999ja900458] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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McFadden JP, Carlson CW, Ergun RE. Microstructure of the auroral acceleration region as observed by FAST. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 1999. [DOI: 10.1029/1998ja900167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 116] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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Schriver D. Particle simulation of the auroral zone showing parallel electric fields, waves, and plasma acceleration. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 1999. [DOI: 10.1029/1999ja900133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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Øieroset M, Yamauchi M, Liszka L, Christon SP, Hultqvist B. A statistical study of ion beams and conics from the dayside ionosphere during different phases of a substorm. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 1999. [DOI: 10.1029/1998ja900177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
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Daglis IA, Axford WI. Fast ionospheric response to enhanced activity in geospace: Ion feeding of the inner magnetotail. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 1996. [DOI: 10.1029/95ja02592] [Citation(s) in RCA: 133] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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Lundin R, Yamauchi M, Woch J, Marklund G. Boundary layer polarization and voltage in the 14 MLT region. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 1995. [DOI: 10.1029/94ja02523] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
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Zhang M, McKibben RB, Simpson JA, Cowley SWH, Staines K, Anglin JD, Marsden RG, Sanderson TR, Wenzel KP. Impulsive bursts of energetic particles in the high-latitude duskside magnetosphere of Jupiter. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 1995. [DOI: 10.1029/95ja02099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
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Liu WW, Xu BL, Samson JC, Rostoker G. Theory and observation of auroral substorms: A magnetohydrodynamic approach. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 1995. [DOI: 10.1029/94ja02036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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Daglis IA, Livi S, Sarris ET, Wilken B. Energy density of ionospheric and solar wind origin ions in the near-Earth magnetotail during substorms. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 1994. [DOI: 10.1029/93ja02772] [Citation(s) in RCA: 104] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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Fukunishi H, Takahashi Y, Nagatsuma T, Mukai T, Machida S. Latitudinal structures of nightside field-aligned currents and their relationships to the plasma sheet regions. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 1993. [DOI: 10.1029/92ja02031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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An alternative interpretation of auroral precipitation and luminosity observations from the DE, DMSP, AUREOL, and Viking satellites in terms of their mapping to the nightside magnetosphere. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 1993. [DOI: 10.1016/0021-9169(93)90160-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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Borovsky JE. Double layers do accelerate particles in the auroral zone. PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS 1992; 69:1054-1056. [PMID: 10047111 DOI: 10.1103/physrevlett.69.1054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
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Bryant DA, Bingham R. Double layers are not particle accelerators. PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS 1992; 68:37-39. [PMID: 10045106 DOI: 10.1103/physrevlett.68.37] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
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Lu G, Reiff PH, Moore TE, Heelis RA. Upflowing ionospheric ions in the auroral region. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 1992. [DOI: 10.1029/92ja01435] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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Lu G, Reiff PH, Burch JL, Winningham JD. On the auroral current-voltage relationship. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 1991. [DOI: 10.1029/90ja02462] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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Fung SF, Hoffman RA. A search for parallel electric fields by observing secondary electrons and photoelectrons in the low-altitude auroral zone. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 1991. [DOI: 10.1029/90ja02244] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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Hesse M, Birn J. Magnetosphere-ionosphere coupling during plasmoid evolution: First results. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 1991. [DOI: 10.1029/91ja00440] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
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Shiokawa K, Fukunishi H, Yamagishi H, Miyaoka H, Fujii R, Tohyama F. Rocket observation of the magnetosphere-ionosphere coupling processes in quiet and active arcs. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 1990. [DOI: 10.1029/ja095ia07p10679] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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Crew GB, Chang T, Retterer JM, Peterson WK, Gurnett DA, Huff RL. Ion cyclotron resonance heated conics: Theory and observations. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 1990. [DOI: 10.1029/ja095ia04p03959] [Citation(s) in RCA: 102] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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Winglee RM, Pritchett PL, Dusenbery PB, Persoon AM, Waite JH, Moore TE, Burch JL, Collin HL, Slavin JA, Sugiura M. Particle acceleration and wave emissions associated with the formation of auroral cavities and enhancements. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 1988. [DOI: 10.1029/ja093ia12p14567] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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