Nonlinear Stabilization of the Current Convective Instability in the Diffuse Aurora.
Abstract
The current convective instability has recently been proposed as a possible mechanism for generating large scale irregularities in the auroral F region, driven by weak field-aligned currents associated with the diffuse aurora and a plasma density gradient (Ossakow and Chaturvedi, 1979). In this report, we show that this instability can stabilize nonlinearly by generating linearly damped harmonics. An estimate of the saturated amplitudes show good agreement with the available experimental data. In addition, with a northward plasma density gradient, the dominant nonlinear harmonic is in the northward direction, in agreement with DNA Wideband satellite observations. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 07, 1980
- Accession Number
- ADA082300
Entities
People
- P. K. Chaturvedi
- Sidney L. Ossakow
Organizations
- United States Naval Research Laboratory