Abstract
The current state of knowledge concerning Birkeland currents (j ∥) and parallel electric field (E ∥) is briefly reviewed. Four types of j ∥ are discussed-the primary ‘region 1’ sheets, the ‘region 2’ sheets which parallel them and which seem to close in the partial ring current, the cusp currents which appear to correlate with interplanetary B y, and the ‘Harang filament’. The energy required by E ∥ and by the associated particle acceleration processes seems to be derived from j ∥. Much of the evidence for e ∥ comes from particles, from ‘inverted V’ spectra, rising ion beams and expanded loss cones, while ‘conies’ may signify acceleration by Electrostatic Ion Cyclotron (EIC) waves, associated with beams accelerated by E ∥. Different theoretical studies predict for E ∥ a smooth, disordered or abrupt structure, and evidence for all 3 types can be deduced from S3-3 electric field probe observations.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Alfvén, H. and Fälthammar, C.-G.: 1963, Cosmical Electrodynamics, 2nd ed., Oxford University Press, NewYork.
Block, L. P.: 1978, Astrophys. Space Sci. 55, 59.
Burke, W. J., Kelley, M. C., Sagalyn, R. C., Smiddy, M. and Lai, S. T.: 1979, Geophys. Res. Letters 6, 21.
Chiu, Y. T. and Schulz, M.: 1978, J. Geophys. Res. 83, 629.
Collin, H. L., Sharp, R. D., Shelley, E. G. and Johnson, R. G.: 1981, J. Geophys. Res. 86, 6820.
Doyle, M. A., Rich, F. J., Burke, W. J. and Smiddy, M.: 1981, J. Geophys. Res. 86, 5656.
Eastman, T. E., Hones, E. W., Jr., Bame, S. J. and Asbridge, J. R.: 1976, Geophys. Res. Letters 3, 685.
Fennell, J. F., Gorney, D. J. and Mizera, P. F.: 1982, Aerospace Corp. Report SD-TR-82-23.
Heppner, J. P.: 1977, J. Geophys. Res. 77, 4877.
Iijima, T. and Potemra, T. A.: 1976, J. Geophys. Res. 81, 5971.
Kamide, Y. and Rostoker, G.: 1977, J. Geophys. Res. 82, 5589.
Kintner, P. M., Kelley, M. C., Sharp, R. D., Ghielmetti, A. G., Temerin, M., Cattell, C., Mizera, P. F. and Fennell, J. F.: 1979, J. Geophys. Res. 84, 7201.
Knight, S.: 1973, Planetary Space Sci. 21, 741.
Lyons, L. R.: 1980, J. Geophys. Res. 85, 17.
Mansurov, S. M.: 1969, Geomagn. Aeron. (English transl.) 9, 622.
McDiarmid, I. B., Burrows, J. R. and Wilson, M. D.: 1979, J. Geophys. Res. 84, 1431–1441.
Mizera, P. F. et al.: 1981, J. Geophys. Res. 86, 2329.
Mizera, P. F., Gorney, D. J. and Fennell, J. F.: 1982, J. Geophys. Res. 87, 1535.
Mozer, F. S. and Torbert, R. B.: 1980, Geophys. Res. Letters 7, 219.
Mozer, F. S., Cattell, C. A., Hudson, M. K., Lysak, R. L., Temerin, M. and Torbert, R. B.: 1980, Space Sci. Rev. 27, 155.
Papadopoulos, K.: 1977, Rev. Geophys. Space Phys. 15, 112.
Persson, H.: 1963, Phys. Fluids 6, 1756.
Persson, H.: 1966, Phys. Fluids 9, 1090.
Potemra, T. A.: 1979, Rev. Geophys. Space Phys. 17, 640.
Rostoker, G.: 1974, J. Geophys. Res. 79, 1994.
Schieid, M. A., Freeman, J. W. and Dessler, A. J.: 1969, J. Geophys. Res. 74, 247.
Shelley, E. G., Sharp, R. D. and Johnson, R. G.: 1976, Geophys. Res. Letters 3, 654.
Sonnerup, B. U. O.: 1980, J. Geophys. Res. 85, 2017.
Stern, D. P.: 1977, Rev. Geophys. Space Phys. 15, 156.
Stern, D. P.: 1981, J. Geophys. Res. 86, 5837.
Svalgaard, L.: 1973, J. Geophys. Res. 78, 2064.
Swift, D. W.: 1975, J. Geophys. Res. 80, 2096.
Temerin, M., Cerny, K., Lotko, W. and Mozer, F. S.: 1982, Phys. Rev. Letters 48, 1175.
Vasyliunas, V. M.: 1979, in Proceedings of the Magnetospheric Boundary Layers Conference, Alpbach, 11–15 June 1979, ESA SP-148, p. 387.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Stern, D.P. Electric currents and voltage drops along auroral field lines. Space Sci Rev 34, 317–325 (1983). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00175286
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00175286