HR: 1330h
AN: SM12A-1211    [PDF]
TI: Return Current Region Aurora: Dayside Parameterization of Ion Conics and BBELF Activity at FAST Altitudes
AU: * Lynch, K A
EM: kristina.lynch@dartmouth.edu
AF: Department of Physics and Astronomy, Dartmouth College, Wilder Laboratory, HB 6127, Hanover, NH 03755 United States
AU: Zarate, B
EM: brenda.zarate@dartmouth.edu
AF: Department of Physics and Astronomy, Dartmouth College, Wilder Laboratory, HB 6127, Hanover, NH 03755 United States
AU: Bonnell, J
EM: jbonnell@ssl.berkeley.edu
AF: Space Sciences Laboratory, UCB, Berkeley, CA 94720 United States
AU: Carlson, C
EM: cwc@ssl.berkeley.edu
AF: Space Sciences Laboratory, UCB, Berkeley, CA 94720 United States
AU: Peria, W
EM: peria@ess.washington.edu
AF: Geophysics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195
AU: Peria, W
EM: peria@ess.washington.edu
AF: Air Force Research Laboratory, Hanscom AFB, Bedford, MA 01731 United States
AU: Jasperse, J
EM: John.Jasperse@hanscom.af.mil
AF: Air Force Research Laboratory, Hanscom AFB, Bedford, MA 01731 United States
AB: We consider auroral ion heating associated with broadband ELF (BBELF) wave activity in downward current, downward electric field regions on the pre-noon dayside at altitudes of 2000-4000~km, using data gathered from the FAST spacecraft. Statistics from 11 dayside passes are collected, and parameters including ion and electron distribution function moments, BBELF wave activity indices, and field aligned current density are indexed. Relationships between these parameters are quantified and compared to a larger similar study on the nightside (Lynch et al., 2002). We wish to determine whether the observed qualitative similarity between return current regions on the dayside and the nightside is backed up by a quantifiable parameter relationship. On the nightside it is found that the BBELF wave activity in these regions is highly correlated with a specific combination of parameters from the ion and field aligned current density data. This empirical relationship has guided theoretical developments in modelling of the return current region (see the related talk by Jasperse et al.)
DE: 2407 Auroral ionosphere (2704)
DE: 2483 Wave/particle interactions
DE: 7867 Wave/particle interactions
SC: SPA - Magnetospheric Physics [SM]
MN: 2003 Fall Meeting