Open AccessRelation between optical emissions, particles, electric fields, and Alfvén waves in a multiple rayed arc
Author(s) -
Hallinan Thomas J.,
Kimball J.,
StenbaekNielsen H. C.,
Lynch K.,
Arnoldy R.,
Bonnell J.,
Kintner P.
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
journal of geophysical research: space physics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.67
H-Index - 298
eISSN - 2156-2202
pISSN - 0148-0227
DOI - 10.1029/2000ja000321
Subject(s) - electric field , physics , electron , energy flux , altitude (triangle) , flux (metallurgy) , perpendicular , geophysics , electron precipitation , computational physics , rocket (weapon) , atomic physics , plasma , nuclear physics , magnetosphere , materials science , astronomy , geometry , mathematics , quantum mechanics , engineering , metallurgy , aerospace engineering
Velocities of rays in auroral arcs were used to infer the perpendicular electric fields above the acceleration region. Using rocket measurements of electron energy as a proxy for the high‐altitude potential, the high‐altitude perpendicular electric fields were calculated and found to be in good agreement with those derived from the ray motions. Additionally, a 0.6 Hz oscillating electric field at high altitude was postulated on the basis of the passing rays. Such a field was also calculated from the electron energy measurements and was found to be closely related to an Alfvén wave measured on the payload following a delay of 0.8 s. The measured electron energy flux agreed well with the auroral luminosity down to scale sizes of about 10 km. The combination of ground‐based imaging and the measured energy flux also allowed a determination of the lower border altitude of the arcs. They were found to be somewhat higher (130 km) than expected on the basis of the electron energy. A tall rayed arc with a lower border height of 170 km was associated with a burst of suprathermal electrons on the poleward edge of the aurora.