Abstract

The High-Bandwidth Auroral Rocket (HIBAR) was launched from Poker Flat, Alaska on January 28, 2003 at 07:50 UT towards an apogee of 382 km in the night-side aurora. The flight was unique in having three high-frequency (HF) receivers using multiple antennas parallel and perpendicular to the ambient magnetic field, as well as very low frequency (VLF) receivers using antennas perpendicular to the magnetic field. These receivers observed five short-lived Langmuir wave bursts lasting from 0.1–0.2 s, consisting of a thin plasma line with frequencies in the range of 2470–2610 kHz that had an associated diffuse feature occurring 5–10 kHz above the plasma line. Both of these waves occurred slightly above the local plasma frequency with amplitudes between 1–100 μV/m. The ratio of the parallel to perpendicular components of the plasma line and diffuse feature were used to determine the angle of propagation of these waves with respect to the background magnetic field. These angles were found to be comparable to the theoretical Z-infinity angle that these waves would resonate at. The VLF receiver detected auroral hiss throughout the flight at 5–10 kHz, a frequency matching the difference between the plasma line and the diffuse feature. A dispersion solver, partially informed with measured electron distributions, and associated frequency- and wavevector-matching conditions were employed to determine if the diffuse features could be generated by a nonlinear wave-wave interaction of the plasma line with the lower frequency auroral hiss waves/lower-hybrid waves. The results show that this interpretation is plausible.

Highlights

  • Plasma waves generated at or near the local plasma frequency have been observed in the auroral ionosphere by satellites and rockets ever since there have been instruments capable of measuring them [review by Akbari et al 2020]

  • The High-Bandwidth Auroral Rocket (HIBAR) rocket was launched into active pre-midnight aurora and observed seven short duration bursts of Langmuir waves above the local plasma frequency at altitudes from 364-377 km

  • Five consisted of a plasma line at frequencies ranging from 2470–2610 kHz with an associated diffuse feature occurring 5–15 kHz above this line

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Summary

Introduction

Plasma waves generated at or near the local plasma frequency have been observed in the auroral ionosphere by satellites and rockets ever since there have been instruments capable of measuring them [review by Akbari et al 2020]. These events include a thin, intense plasma line just above the plasma frequency cutoff and a less intense band of waves above the plasma line, referred to as the diffuse feature. Uncertainty estimations are based on standard deviations associated with the averages taken in obtaining each E||/E⊥ value

Discussion
Electric Field Component Ratios
Non-Linear 3-Wave Interaction
Conclusions
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