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Evidence for a Multi-scale Aurora

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The Dynamic Magnetosphere

Part of the book series: IAGA Special Sopron Book Series ((IAGA,volume 3))

Abstract

Auroral arc widths are observed to extend from 100 s of kilometers down to several 10 s of meters. The largest widths mapped outward along auroral field-lines correspond to that of plasma gradients and flow shears in the equatorial magnetosphere. The smallest widths correspond to the fundamental plasma length scales along auroral field-lines. Larger scale arcs invariably have smaller scale features imbedded within them. The physics of auroral arcs is therefore multi-scale in nature. In this brief report we review some recent results from the FAST spacecraft characterizing the k-spectra of Alfvénic electromagnetic fluctuations associated with electron fluxes which drive visible aurora. These results suggest a nearly scale-invariant quality to the acceleration process over much of the range of scales reported for auroral arc widths. We then present a case study using observations from the REIMEI spacecraft to qualitatively demonstrate that the broad scale-range of variations observed in electromagnetic fields is represented in the multi-scale structuring of auroral forms. Together, observations from these spacecraft suggest that auroral arc structuring is a consequence of energy transport across scales facilitated by non-linear coupling similar to that which occurs in large Reynolds number fluid flows.

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Acknowledgements

This research was supported by STEL visiting professor program, the global COE program ‘Quest for Fundamental Principles in the Universe: from Particles to the Solar System and the Cosmos’ of Nagoya University, NSF grant ATM-0602728 and NASA grant number NNG06GG63G.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Space Sciences Laboratory, University of California, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA

    Christopher C. Chaston

  2. Solar Terrestrial Environment Laboratory, University of Nagoya, Nagoya, Japan

    K. Seki

  3. Graduate School of Science, Planetary Plasma and Atmospheric Research Centre, University of Tohoku, Sendai, Japan

    T. Sakanoi

  4. Institute of Space and Astronautical Science, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, Sagamihara, Kanagawa, Japan

    Kazushi Asamura

  5. Department of Earth and Planetary Science, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan

    M. Hirahara

Authors
  1. Christopher C. Chaston
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  2. K. Seki
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  3. T. Sakanoi
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  4. Kazushi Asamura
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  5. M. Hirahara
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Christopher C. Chaston .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Spacecraft Engineering, Canadian Space Agency, route de l'Aeroport 6767, St.-Hubert, J3Y 8Y9, Québec, Canada

    William Liu

  2. Astronautical Science (ISAS), Institute of Space &, Yoshinodai 3-1-1, Sagamihara, Kanagawa, 229-8510, Japan

    Masaki Fujimoto

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Chaston, C.C., Seki, K., Sakanoi, T., Asamura, K., Hirahara, M. (2011). Evidence for a Multi-scale Aurora. In: Liu, W., Fujimoto, M. (eds) The Dynamic Magnetosphere. IAGA Special Sopron Book Series, vol 3. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-0501-2_15

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