Ion acoustic instability of HPT particles, FAC density, anomalous resistivity and parallel electric field in the auroral region

Abstract

During the magnetic storm of 21st March 1990, the DE-1 spacecraft encountered the auroral region at high invariant latitude at altitudes ranging from a few thousand kilometers in the ionosphere to many earth radii in the magnetosphere. The magnetic field perturbations interpretable as field aligned current (FAC) layers and the electrostatic turbulence possibly due to electrostatic ion acoustic instability driven by these currents are shown. The critical drift velocity of Hot Plasma Torus (HPT) electrons and the growth rate of ion acoustic wave as a function of electron to ion temperature ratio (T _e/T_i) for low and high current densities and energy of HPT electrons are found out. The intense FAC destabilizes the ion acoustic wave and the resultant electrostatic turbulence creates an anomalous resistivity. The current driven resistivity produces parallel electric field and high power dissipation. The anomalous resistivityη, potential difference along the auroral field lines V_t|, intensity of electric field turbulenceE _t| and power produced per unit volumeP are computed. It is found that the change in westward magnetic perturbation increasesJ _t|, η, V_t|, E_t| andP. Hence HPT electrons are heated and accelerated due to power dissipation during magnetically active periods in the auroral region. Concerning, applications, such HPT electrons can be used in particle accelerators like electron ring accelerator, smokatron etc.