A Search for the Plasma Processes Associated with Perpendicular Ion Heating.
Abstract
The satellite S3-3 data set has been examined for examples of perpendicular ion acceleration with simultaneous broadband plasma wave data. One event was found. Plasma waves in the frequency range for lower hybrid resonance (LHR) waves and in the frequency range for Doppler shifted O(+) ion cyclotron waves modestly correlated with the perpendicular ion acceleration, although their electric field amplitudes were less than that assumed in present theories of ion acceleration: about 0.2-6.0 mV/m (rms) for the LHR waves and 4-9 mV/m (rms) for the possible Doppler shifted O(+) cyclotron waves. Plasma waves propagating above the LHR frequency briefly reached a value of 10 mV/m (rms). No evidence was found for the existence of H(+) cyclotron waves during the period of perpendicular ion acceleration. The thermal or superthermal electron field-aligned current density (Ee < 170 eV), estimated by subtracting the current density measured by the electron spectrometer from that measured by the magnetrometer, correlated very well with the period of perpendicular ion acceleration. Keywords: Aurora; Ion cyclotron waves; Ion heating; Lower hybrid, wave particle interactions.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Feb 17, 1987
- Accession Number
- ADA179972
Entities
People
- David J. Gorney
- Paul M. Kintner
Organizations
- The Aerospace Corporation