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Low Energy Precipitating Electrons in the Diffuse Aurorae
Author(s) -
Wing Simon,
Khazanov George V.,
Sibeck Dave G.,
Zesta Eftyhia
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1029/2019gl082383
Subject(s) - electron , electron precipitation , secondary electrons , physics , atomic physics , conjugate points , precipitation , magnetosphere , core charge , core electron , plasma , nuclear physics , meteorology , mathematics , pure mathematics
Auroral electron precipitation is often classified into three categories: diffuse, monoenergetic, and broadband. However, some precipitating electrons do not fit any of the three categories, which are assumed to be “diffuse” electrons for convenience. Many of these nonconforming electrons exhibit high fluxes at low energies. Most studies assume that the precipitating electrons originate from the magnetosphere. However, this primary precipitation is only the first step in the formation of the electron precipitation. The primary precipitation creates secondary electrons and both electron populations bounce many times between the conjugate points. Thus, the full electron precipitation consists of not only the primary but the Multiply Reflected Primary and Secondary (MRPS) electrons. The MRPS electrons are modeled with Superthermal Electron Transport model. The model‐data comparisons suggest that the low energy electrons in the nonconforming precipitating electrons can be attributed to MRPS electrons.