• Login
     
    View Item 
    •   ORFEO Home
    • Royal Belgian Institute for Space Aeronomy
    • BIRA-IASB publications
    • View Item
    •   ORFEO Home
    • Royal Belgian Institute for Space Aeronomy
    • BIRA-IASB publications
    • View Item
    JavaScript is disabled for your browser. Some features of this site may not work without it.

    Self-consistent electrostatic simulations of reforming double layers in the downward current region of the aurora

    Thumbnail
    View/Open
    Gunell(2015a).pdf (1.170Mb)
    Authors
    Gunell, H.
    Andersson, L.
    De Keyser, J.
    Mann, I.
    Show allShow less
    Discipline
    Physical sciences
    Audience
    Scientific
    Date
    2015
    Metadata
    Show full item record
    Description
    The plasma on a magnetic field line in the downward current region of the aurora is simulated using a Vlasov model. It is found that an electric field parallel to the magnetic fields is supported by a double layer moving toward higher altitude. The double layer accelerates electrons upward, and these electrons give rise to plasma waves and electron phase-space holes through beam–plasma interaction. The double layer is disrupted when reaching altitudes of 1–2 Earth radii where the Langmuir condition no longer can be satisfied due to the diminishing density of electrons coming up from the ionosphere. During the disruption the potential drop is in part carried by the electron holes. The disruption creates favourable conditions for double layer formation near the ionosphere and double layers form anew in that region. The process repeats itself with a period of approximately 1 min. This period is determined by how far the double layer can reach before being disrupted: a higher disruption altitude corresponds to a longer repetition period. The disruption altitude is, in turn, found to increase with ionospheric density and to decrease with total voltage. The current displays oscillations around a mean value. The period of the oscillations is the same as the recurrence period of the double layer formations. The oscillation amplitude increases with increasing voltage, whereas the mean value of the current is independent of voltage in the 100 to 800 V range covered by our simulations. Instead, the mean value of the current is determined by the electron density at the ionospheric boundary.
    Citation
    Gunell, H.; Andersson, L.; De Keyser, J.; Mann, I. (2015). Self-consistent electrostatic simulations of reforming double layers in the downward current region of the aurora. , Annales Geophysicae, Vol. 33, Issue 10, 1331-1342, DOI: 10.5194/angeo-33-1331-2015.
    Identifiers
    uri: https://orfeo.belnet.be/handle/internal/2779
    doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.5194/angeo-33-1331-2015
    Type
    Article
    Peer-Review
    Yes
    Language
    eng
    Links
    NewsHelpdeskBELSPO OA Policy

    Browse

    All of ORFEOCommunities & CollectionsBy Issue DateAuthorsTitlesDisciplinesThis CollectionBy Issue DateAuthorsTitlesDisciplines
     

    DSpace software copyright © 2002-2016  DuraSpace
    Send Feedback | Cookie Information
    Theme by 
    Atmire NV