Parallel Potential Drop Research Articles

Reimei Satellite Observations of Alfvénic Interaction Modulating Inverted‐V Electrons and Filamentary Auroral Forms at the Poleward Edge of a Discrete Arc

AbstractWe present an event based on Reimei satellite observations in the low‐altitude midnight auroral region, showing that intense and clear energy‐dispersed electron precipitations, repetitively generated by field‐aligned accelerations due to dispersive Alfvén waves, were modulating inverted‐V electrons. These Alfvénic electrons had peak energies equal to or slightly larger than those of the inverted‐Vs and were associated with the filamentary auroral forms rapidly streaming at the poleward edge of a broad discrete arc. This arc was caused by the inverted‐V accompanied by ion depletions produced by quasi‐electrostatic parallel potential drop. Assuming instantaneous electron accelerations over a wide energy range in a single location and a simple time‐of‐flight effect for the energy‐time dispersions, the Alfvénic source distances were estimated 1,500 ± 500 km above the satellite altitude of ∼676 km, a lower bound since the interaction locations are realistically distributed in altitudinally extended regions. The electron characteristics in detailed energy‐pitch angle distributions obtained at high time resolution can be categorized into: (a) original inverted‐V fluxes energized by quasi‐electrostatic upward electric field, (b) accelerated and decelerated/reduced inverted‐V fluxes, (c) field‐aligned energy‐dispersed precipitations accelerated by dispersive Alfvén waves, and (d) upwelling secondary components effectively produced by the field‐aligned precipitations particularly at energies of a few tens of eV. This event is useful to reveal the interactions between the inverted‐V and Alfvénic electrons and their related ionospheric effects in the magnetosphere‐ionosphere coupling processes. The detailed energy‐pitch angle distributions presented here provide constraints for models of these interactions and processes.

The Potential Role of Modified Electron Acoustic Wave and Nonlinear Mode Coupling in Mono‐Energetic Aurora

AbstractResults from a 1D kinetic simulation, for the first time, reveal the important role of modified electron acoustic wave (MEAW) in auroral electron acceleration. Parallel electric fields, generated due to the mode coupling between kinetic Alfven waves (KAWs) and MEAWs in the transition region from the magnetosphere and the ionosphere, can be sustained by continuous energy input carried by Alfven waves from the magnetosphere. Under the incidence of long‐period Alfven waves carrying upward field‐aligned currents, a parallel potential drop can be formed in the transition region, leading to mono‐energetic electron acceleration. Such a mechanism provides a possible link between shear Alfven waves and the mesoscale mono‐energetic auroral electron acceleration.

Active auroral arc powered by accelerated electrons from very high altitudes

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.

Expanding Auroral Loops

AbstractA new scenario is presented for the energy supply to the auroral acceleration process. It applies to auroral arcs, which are propagating into regions of magnetic fields with shears with lower than those existing behind the arc. This pertains in particular to expanding U‐loops or other active protrusions. A Poynting flux, emerging out of the interior of the associated current system with strongly sheared field, flows into the auroral acceleration region or fracture zone. One half of the energy is consumed by the acceleration process. The other half flows (mainly upward) into the current sheet and is expended by shearing the newly incorporated field into the direction of the internal field. This is enabled by the magnetic connectivity being broken inside the region of parallel electric potential drops. The latter are formally attributed to the presence of an anomalous resistivity in the auroral current sheet. Simple relations describe the energy transport and consumption. An important quantity is the width of the arc. It follows from the balance of the energy transport inside and out of the acceleration region. Since the process involves first breaking of the field lines, to be followed by building up shear stresses, the name “constructive magnetic fractures” has been chosen for distinguishing it from “destructive fractures,” which applies to embedded arcs. Which of these two processes is acting can be easily recognized by the direction of motion of the auroral rays or folds, whether they are opposed to or in parallel with the convective flow behind the arc.

Electron Energization by Parallel Electric Fields in Poloidal Standing Waves

AbstractA hybrid gyrofluid‐kinetic electron model is adapted and used to simulate poloidal standing modes for different electron temperatures and azimuthal mode numbers. As in previous studies of toroidal standing modes, mirror force effects lead to increased parallel potential drops, monoenergetic electron energization, and wave energy dissipation as the ambient electron temperature is increased. A similar trend is also observed when the electron temperature is held fixed and the azimuthal mode number increased—owing to the narrowing of the azimuthal flux tube width, which necessitates more electron energization to carry the increased parallel current density. In both cases, the increase in electron energization eventually leads to more rapid decreases in the parallel current with time because of the dissipation of wave energy.

Evolution of electron phase space holes in inhomogeneous magnetic fields

AbstractElectron phase space holes (EHs) are electrostatic solitary waves that are widely observed in the space plasma often permeated by inhomogeneous magnetic fields. Understanding of the EH evolution in inhomogeneous magnetic fields is critical for accurate interpretations of spacecraft data. To study this evolution, we use 1.5‐D gyrokinetic electrostatic Vlasov code (magnetized electrons and immobile ions) with periodic boundary conditions. We find that EHs propagating into stronger (weaker) magnetic field are decelerated (accelerated) with deceleration (acceleration) rate dependent on the magnetic field gradient. Remarkably, decelerating EHs are reflected at the magnetic field dependent only on EH parameters (independent of the magnetic field gradient). A magnetic field inhomogeneity results in development of a net potential drop along EHs. Our simulations suggest that slow EHs recently observed in the plasma sheet boundary layer can appear due to braking of initially fast EHs by magnetic field gradients and that a large number of even fast EHs can contribute to macroscopic parallel potential drops.

Electric Mars: A large trans‐terminator electric potential drop on closed magnetic field lines above Utopia Planitia

AbstractParallel electric fields and their associated electric potential structures play a crucial role in ionospheric‐magnetospheric interactions at any planet. Although there is abundant evidence that parallel electric fields play key roles in Martian ionospheric outflow and auroral electron acceleration, the fields themselves are challenging to directly measure due to their relatively weak nature. Using measurements by the Solar Wind Electron Analyzer instrument aboard the NASA Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN (MAVEN) Mars Scout, we present the discovery and measurement of a substantial (ΦMars=7.7 ± 0.6 V) parallel electric potential drop on closed magnetic field lines spanning the terminator from day to night above the great impact basin of Utopia Planitia, a region largely free of crustal magnetic fields. A survey of the previous 26 orbits passing over a range of longitudes revealed similar signatures on seven orbits, with a mean potential drop (ΦMars) of 10.9 ± 0.8 V, suggestive that although trans‐terminator electric fields of comparable strength are not ubiquitous, they may be common, at least at these northerly latitudes.

Electron density and parallel electric field distribution of the auroral density cavity

AbstractWe present an event study in which Cluster satellites C1 and C3 encounters the flux tube of a stable auroral arc in the premidnight sector. C1 observes the midcavity, while C3 enters the flux tube of the auroral arc at an altitude which is below the acceleration region, before crossing into the top half of the acceleration region. This allows us to study the boundary between the ionosphere and the density cavity, as well as large portion of the upper density cavity. The position of the two satellites, in relation to the acceleration region, is described using a pseudo altitude derived from the distribution of the parallel potential drop above and below the satellites. The electron density exhibits an anticorrelation with the pseudo altitude, indicating that the lowest electron densities are found near the top of the density cavity. Over the entire pseudo altitude range, the electron density distribution is similar to a planar sheath, formed out of a plasma sheet dominated electron distribution, in response to the parallel electric field of the acceleration region. This indicates that the parallel electric fields on the ionosphere‐cavity boundary, as well as the midcavity parallel electric fields, are part of one unified structure rather than two discrete entities. The results highlight the strong connection between the auroral density cavity and auroral acceleration as well as the necessity of studying them in a unified fashion.

Low‐altitude satellite measurements of pulsating auroral electrons

AbstractWe present observations from the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program and Reimei satellites, where common‐volume high‐resolution ground‐based auroral imaging data are available. These satellite overpasses of ground‐based all‐sky imagers reveal the specific features of the electron populations responsible for different types of pulsating aurora modulations. The energies causing the pulsating aurora mostly range from 3 keV to 20 keV but can at times extend up to 30 keV. The secondary, low‐energy electrons (<1 keV) are diminished from the precipitating distribution when there are strong temporal variations in auroral intensity. There are often persistent spatial structures present inside regions of pulsating aurora, and in these regions there are secondary electrons in the precipitating populations. The reduction of secondary electrons is consistent with the strongly temporally varying pulsating aurora being associated with field‐aligned currents and hence parallel potential drops of up to 1 kV.

Statistical altitude distribution of the auroral density cavity

AbstractThe statistical altitude distribution of auroral density cavities located between 3.0 and 6.5 RE is investigated using in situ observations from flux tubes exhibiting auroral acceleration. The locations of the observations are described using a pseudo altitude derived from the distribution of the parallel potential drop above and below the satellite. The upper edge of the auroral acceleration region is observed between 4.375 and 5.625 RE. Above 6.125 RE, none of the events exhibit precipitating inverted V electrons, though the upward ion beam can be observed. This indicates that the satellites are located inside the same flux tube as, but above, the auroral acceleration region. The electron density decreases as we move higher into the acceleration region. The spacecraft potential continues to decrease once above the acceleration region, indicating that the density cavity extends above the acceleration region. From 3.0 to 4.375 RE the pseudo altitude increases by 0.20 per RE, consistent with a distributed parallel electric field. Between 4.375 and 5.625 RE the pseudo altitude increases weakly, by 0.01 per RE, due to an increasing number of events per altitude bin, which are occurring above the acceleration region. Above 5.625 RE the pseudo altitude increases by 0.28 per RE, due to a rapid increase in the number of events per altitude bin occurring above the acceleration region, indicating that the remaining parallel potential drop is concentrated in a narrow region at the upper edge of the acceleration region, rather than in a distributed parallel electric field.

Radiation in the neighbourhood of a double layer

Abstract. In the auroral kilometric radiation (AKR) source region, acceleration layers narrow in altitude and associated with parallel field-aligned potential drops of several kV can be identified by using both particles and wave-field high time-resolution measurements from the Fast Auroral SnapshoT explorer spacecraft (FAST). These so-called double layers (DLs) are recorded around density enhancements in the auroral cavity, where the enhancement can be at the edge of the cavity or even within the cavity at a small scale. Once immersed in the plasma, DLs necessarily accelerate particles along the magnetic field lines, thereby generating locally strong turbulent processes leading to the formation of nonlinear phase space holes. The FAST data reveal the asymmetric character of the turbulence: the regions located on the high-potential side of the DLs are characterized by the presence of electron holes, while on the low-potential side, ion holes are recorded. The existence of these nonlinear phase space holes may affect the AKR radiation pattern in the neighbourhood of a DL where the electron distribution function is drastically different from a horseshoe shape. We present some observations which illustrate the systematic generation of elementary radiation events occurring significantly above the local electron gyrofrequency in the presence of electron holes. These fine-scale AKR radiators are associated with a local electron distribution which presents a pronounced beam-like shape.

Electron properties in inverted‐V structures and their vicinities based on Reimei observations

AbstractThis paper reports two event studies on characteristic pitch angle variations of inverted‐V electrons observed by the Reimei satellite. At edges of the inverted‐V structures, the electron pitch angles are collimated between 0° and 20° while the electric field of the potential distribution is commonly depicted perpendicular to the local magnetic field. As Reimei moved toward the center of the inverted‐V regions, the electron pitch angles broadened up to ∼120°, and their energies rapidly increased and continuously changed to those of the energetic inverted‐V component. At the higher latitudes of the inverted‐V structure, diffuse electrons with the isotropic distribution were also observed. Estimations of the electron density and temperature indicate that the source region of the beam electrons is the topside ionosphere by comparison with those of the diffuse electrons and the energetic inverted‐V electrons. For the auroral emissions, in the first event, some horizontal auroral motions were observed which may be accompanied by the horizontal drift motion of the whole structure of the parallel potential drop. This motion could supply electrons in the topside ionosphere into the potential structure, and then the beam electrons are continuously formed at the low altitudes. In the second event, on the other hand, at both edges of the auroral band, the auroral emissions did not expand while the beam electrons were observed. One of the probable reasons to produce the beam electrons is the inertial Alfvén waves although they are inconsistent with previous studies because the velocity dispersions were not observed.

The quiet evening auroral arc and the structure of the growth phase near‐Earth plasma sheet

AbstractThe plasma pressure and current configuration of the near‐Earth plasma sheet that creates and sustains the quiet evening auroral arc during the growth phase of magnetospheric substorms is investigated. We propose that the quiet evening arc (QEA) connects to the thin near‐Earth current sheet, which forms during the development of the growth phase enhancement of convection. The current sheet's large polarization electric fields are shielded from the ionosphere by an Inverted‐V parallel potential drop, thereby producing the electron precipitation responsible for the arc's luminosity. The QEA is located in the plasma sheet region of maximal radial pressure gradient and, in the east‐west direction, follows the vanishing of the approximately dawn‐dusk‐directed gradient or fold in the plasma pressure. In the evening sector, the boundary between the Region1 and Region 2 current systems occurs where the pressure maximizes (approximately radial gradient of the pressure vanishes) and where the approximately radial gradient of the magnetic flux tube volume also vanishes in an inflection region. The proposed intricate balance of plasma sheet pressure and currents may well be very sensitive to disruption by the arrival of equatorward traveling auroral streamers and their associated earthward traveling dipolarization fronts.

Dawn‐dusk asymmetry in solar wind ion entry and dayside precipitation: Results from large‐scale simulations

AbstractWe present the results of numerical studies of the interaction of solar wind ions with the dayside magnetospheric boundary for a southward interplanetary magnetic field and two solar wind speeds (250 and 500 km/s) using the results of global magnetohydrodynamics simulations in conjunction with large‐scale kinetic calculations. Results of these studies show that a dawn‐dusk asymmetry is found in the precipitation of low‐ to middle‐energy ions over the high‐latitude dayside magnetosphere. This asymmetry is consistent with statistical studies of DMSP data showing that ion precipitation from the mantle is predominantly seen over the morning and prenoon sector. Analysis of energy‐latitude spectra and study of individual particle trajectories from the simulations revealed that low‐energy ions can enter the magnetopause at high latitudes in regions where the parallel electric field associated with the magnetopause current is positive and strong enough for the ions to gain energies of the order of the parallel potential drop across the magnetopause. Because the parallel electric field in the Northern Hemisphere is positive in the prenoon sector and negative in the afternoon‐evening sector, solar wind ions reaching the magnetopause in these regions are accelerated toward the ionosphere on the dawnside and outward on the duskside, creating the asymmetry in precipitation. The same dawn‐dusk asymmetry is found in the Southern Hemisphere because both parallel electric field and magnetic field are reversed in direction.

Megavolt Parallel Potentials Arising from Double-Layer Streams in the Earth’s Outer Radiation Belt

Huge numbers of double layers carrying electric fields parallel to the local magnetic field line have been observed on the Van Allen probes in connection with in situ relativistic electron acceleration in the Earth's outer radiation belt. For one case with adequate high time resolution data, 7000 double layers were observed in an interval of 1 min to produce a 230,000 V net parallel potential drop crossing the spacecraft. Lower resolution data show that this event lasted for 6 min and that more than 1,000,000 volts of net parallel potential crossed the spacecraft during this time. A double layer traverses the length of a magnetic field line in about 15 s and the orbital motion of the spacecraft perpendicular to the magnetic field was about 700 km during this 6 min interval. Thus, the instantaneous parallel potential along a single magnetic field line was the order of tens of kilovolts. Electrons on the field line might experience many such potential steps in their lifetimes to accelerate them to energies where they serve as the seed population for relativistic acceleration by coherent, large amplitude whistler mode waves. Because the double-layer speed of 3100 km/s is the order of the electron acoustic speed (and not the ion acoustic speed) of a 25 eV plasma, the double layers may result from a new electron acoustic mode. Acceleration mechanisms involving double layers may also be important in planetary radiation belts such as Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune, in the solar corona during flares, and in astrophysical objects.

Solar cycle effects on parallel electric field acceleration of auroral electron beams

AbstractWe present the occurrence frequency of downgoing auroral electron beams in magnetic local time and invariant latitude, and the dependence on solar cycle, as indicated by F10.7, on whether the ionospheric foot point of the satellite is illuminated or dark, and on the energy flux carried by the electrons. As previously reported, we find that the occurrence of electron beams peaks in the premidnight local time sector and that solar illumination at the foot point (solar zenith angle) reduces both the occurrence and energy of the electron beams. The effect of solar maximum conditions (indicated by F10.7) is almost as large as the effect of the solar zenith angle. The characteristic energy of the electron beams is dependent on the energy flux carried, in addition to both solar zenith angle and F10.7. The beam energy (and therefore the parallel potential drop) is ~1.6 times higher for during solar minimum than during solar maximum for both dark and illuminated foot points. The beam energy during dark solar minimum conditions is a factor of ~3 more than during sunlit minimum conditions. The “area” covered by intense aurora is also reduced during solar maximum, for both sunlit and dark conditions. There is no evidence that the statistical results are due to the fact that acceleration via parallel electric fields moves to lower latitudes during solar maximum.

Inverted‐V and low‐energy broadband electron acceleration features of multiple auroras within a large‐scale surge

AbstractResults are presented from a Cluster C2 satellite crossing through the acceleration region of multiple auroral structures within a large‐scale surge, simultaneously monitored by DMSP F17 imager data. The magnetic and electric field data are consistent with the auroral distribution at large and medium scales. We identify the quasi‐static acceleration above and below C2 orbit by downgoing inverted‐V electrons and parallel electric potential drops, respectively. In the poleward surge region, within or adjacent to the inverted‐V arcs, intense low‐energy (broadband) electron fluxes are seen as well as a rough equality between ΔE/ΔB and the Alfvén velocity, suggesting that these are of Alfvénic origin. The most poleward and equatorward auroral structure is found to be Alfvénic and quasi‐static, respectively. In between, the structures are of mixed origin. We estimate the relative role of the acceleration processes by the contributions to the downward electron energy flux by electrons above and below 1.62 keV. Although these are local estimates, they should be representative also below Cluster altitude, except for two regions of intense downward Poynting flux, the power of which will be dissipated at lower altitudes and increasing the Alfvénic contribution. This is also supported by intense fluxes of low‐energy, broadband, upgoing electrons observed within these regions. Otherwise, the inverted‐V contribution dominates for most of the auroral structures observed by Cluster. The Alfvénic contribution to the mixed arc emissions is to extend these to higher altitudes, as shown by numerical simulation results.

Vlasov simulations of parallel potential drops

Abstract. An auroral flux tube is modelled from the magnetospheric equator to the ionosphere using Vlasov simulations. Starting from an initial state, the evolution of the plasma on the flux tube is followed in time. It is found that when applying a voltage between the ends of the flux tube, about two thirds of the potential drop is concentrated in a thin double layer at approximately one Earth radius altitude. The remaining part is situated in an extended region 1–2 Earth radii above the double layer. Waves on the ion timescale develop above the double layer, and they move toward higher altitude at approximately the ion acoustic speed. These waves are seen both in the electric field and as perturbations of the ion and electron distributions, indicative of an instability. Electrons of magnetospheric origin become trapped between the magnetic mirror and the double layer during its formation. At low altitude, waves on electron timescales appear and are seen to be non-uniformly distributed in space. The temporal evolution of the potential profile and the total voltage affect the double layer altitude, which decreases with an increasing field aligned potential drop. A current–voltage relationship is found by running several simulations with different voltages over the system, and it agrees with the Knight relation reasonably well.

Pseudo altitude: A new perspective on the auroral density cavity

Studying the density distribution inside the auroral density cavity is complicated by the difficulties in achieving simultaneous measurements within the same flux tube at different altitudes. Comparisons between different events are complicated by variations in both the location of the density cavity and the location of the related potential structure. Describing the spacecraft's location inside the density cavity relative to the potential structure instead of the Earth offers a more practical and consistent frame of reference, a pseudo altitude. The pseudo altitude is determined by comparing the potential drop above the spacecraft, as determined from the characteristic energy of the downward electrons, with the parallel potential drop below the spacecraft, determined from the characteristic energy of the upward ions. A pseudo altitude of 0 corresponds to the bottom of the potential structure and a pseudo altitude of 1 to the top of the structure. Seven events from 2008 were selected, each of which corresponds to a Cluster crossing of a mainly quasi‐static potential structure. All of the events exhibit a consistent anticorrelation between the pseudo altitude and the electron density. No upper limit of the density cavity can be observed, while all cavities have a lower limit above a pseudo altitude of 0.33. These observations show that the auroral density cavity is predominately concentrated to the upper parts of the quasi‐static potential structure.

FAST observations of solar illumination and solar cycle dependence of the acceleration of upflowing ion beams on auroral field lines

We present the magnetic local time, invariant latitude, and altitude distribution of upflowing ion beams and the dependence of their occurrence on whether the ionospheric foot point of the satellite is illuminated or dark and on solar cycle, as indicated by F10.7. The effects of illumination and solar cycle are additive, consistent with the fact that the solar EUV depends on solar cycle and that the ionospheric conditions are dependent on total flux illuminating the foot point. Consistent with previous studies, the occurrence of upflowing ion beams peaks in the premidnight local time sector, and the occurrence increases dramatically with altitude over the altitude range of FAST (~700 km to ~4000 km). Solar illumination both reduces the occurrence of ion beams observed by more than a factor of 10 and increases the altitude where the acceleration occurs so that beams are rare below ~4000 km altitude. The effect of the increased solar EUV near solar maximum is almost as large. The inferred potential drops at altitudes below 4000 km, even during dark conditions, are usually less than 1 keV; during sunlit conditions and/or high F10.7, the potentials are usually less than 500 eV. These results place constraints on the altitude of the auroral parallel potential drop and on the relative importance of ionospheric conductivity and plasma density on the acceleration processes. There is no evidence that the statistical results are due to motion of large parallel potential drops to lower latitudes near solar maximum.