HR: 0800h
AN: SA21C-0375    [Abstracts]
TI: Enhanced Aurora and Instabilities in Thin Ionization Layers
AU: Okuda, H
EM: okuda@pppl.gov
AF: Princeton University, Plasma Physics Laboratory PO Box 451, Princeton, NJ 08543 United States
AU: * Johnson, J R
EM: jrj@pppl.gov
AF: Princeton University, Plasma Physics Laboratory PO Box 451, Princeton, NJ 08543 United States
AB: Thin layers of enhanced luminosity are commonly observed in auroral displays. There is a substantial body of evidence that connects these displays with thin, dense, heavy ion layers in the E-region. Based on the spectral characteristics of the enhanced layers, it is believed that the enhanced emissions result when wave-particle interactions heat ambient electrons to energies at or above the 17 eV ionization energy of $\rm N_2$. We investigate instabilities that could occur in dense, heavy ion layers in the presence of strong cross-field currents that accompany electron precipitation. We present analytical full-wave solutions and electrostatic particle simulations of the nonlinear development of the instability. The heavy ion layer increases the growth rate of the instability and heats ambient electrons into a suprathermal tail that could produce the enhanced emissions.
UR: http://w3.pppl.gov/$\sim$jrj/ionization.html
DE: 2407 Auroral ionosphere (2704)
DE: 2439 Ionospheric irregularities
DE: 2455 Particle precipitation
DE: 2471 Plasma waves and instabilities
DE: 2483 Wave/particle interactions
SC: SPA-Aeronomy [SA]
MN: 2004 AGU Fall Meeting