A. Strømme

An investigation comparing ground‐based techniques that quantify auroral electron flux and conductance

We present three case studies that examine optical and radar methods for specifying precipitating auroral flux parameters and conductances. Three events were chosen corresponding to moderate nonsubstorm auroral activity with 557.7 nm intensities greater than 1kR. A technique that directly fits the electron number density from a forward electron transport model to alternating code incoherent scatter radar data is presented. A method for determining characteristic energy using neutral temperature observations is compared against estimates from the incoherent scatter radar. These techniques are focused on line-of-sight observations that are aligned with the local geomagnetic field. Good agreement is found between the optical and incoherent scatter radar methods for estimates of the average energy, energy flux, and conductances. The Pedersen conductance predicted by Robinson et al. (1987) is in very good agreement with estimates calculated from the incoherent scatter radar observations. However, we present an updated form of the relation by Robinson et al. (1987), ΣH/ΣP=0.57〈E〉0.53, which was found to be more consistent with the incoherent scatter radar observations. These results are limited to similar auroral configurations as in these case studies. Case studies are presented that quantify auroral electron flux parameters and conductance estimates which can be used to specify the magnitude of energy dissipated within the ionosphere resulting from magnetospheric driving.

High temporal resolution observations of auroral electron density using superthermal electron enhancement of Langmuir waves

We report high temporal resolution auroral electron precipitation observations using the Sondrestrom incoherent scatter radar. The observations make use of the superthermal electron enhancement of Langmuir waves, which is shown to give accurate observations of the electron density during auroral ionization at a subsecond temporal resolution. This is important when matching to the time scales of auroral precipitation-related phenomena, such as energy input into the atmosphere and magnetospheric electron acceleration mechanisms. We describe the measurement technique and show an example observation of auroral precipitation. The results show transients in electron density in the order of a few seconds, which are fully resolved by the plasma line measurements. An electron precipitation model is used to estimate precipitation energy and flux density. The energetic electron flux during the example event has variations even at short time scales. The results show that electron density profiles derived from plasma lines can be a powerful new observational capability.

Observations in the E region ionosphere of kappa distribution functions associated with precipitating auroral electrons and discrete aurorae

Precipitating auroral electrons can produce discrete auroral arcs that contain signatures of the magnetospheric auroral source region. Differential number flux observations over two discrete aurorae were obtained by the Auroral Currents and Electrodynamics Structure sounding rocket mission, which successfully launched in 2009. These observations were made at E region altitudes of approximately 130 km. A model of precipitating auroral electrons as described by Evans (1974) was fit to the electron differential number flux obtained by the payloads, and parameters from the model were used to infer properties of the auroral source region. It is shown that the field-aligned precipitating electrons were better fit by a kappa distribution function versus a Maxwellian distribution function for the equatorward side of the first, quasi-stable, auroral arc crossing. The latter half of the first auroral arc crossing and second auroral crossing show that the precipitating electrons were better fit by a Maxwellian distribution function, which provides additional observational confirmation of previous studies. The low-energy electron population determined by the Evans (1974) model was within a factor of 2 of the observed differential number flux. The source region parameters determined from fitting the model to the data were compared with relevant studies from sounding rockets and satellites. Our observations are consistent with the results of Kletzing et al. (2003) that the plasma sheet electrons mapping to auroral zone invariant latitudes are characterized by kappa distribution functions.

Incoherent scatter radar-FAST satellite common volume observations of upflow-to-outflow conversion

Incoherent scatter radar measurements from the Sondrestrom Research Facility and the European Incoherent Scatter Svalbard radar have been combined with all-sky images, polar convection measurements, and FAST particle and field measurements to quantify the contribution of different magnetosphere-ionosphere coupling processes to the extraction efficiency of ions from the ionosphere. Upflowing ions are traced from their source vertically and horizontally to determine where and when they are likely to intersect the acceleration region observed by FAST. The duration and location of auroral emissions are used to estimate the size and duration of the acceleration region. The upflow-to-outflow efficiency is estimated for three periods of polar cap boundary intensifications and streamers during substorm recovery and steady magnetospheric convection. The extraction efficiency of conics ranges between 0.1%, for the lowest amplitude of broadband extremely low frequency waves, and 5%, for the highest-amplitude waves sampled. Simultaneous measurements of all-sky images and magnetic field-aligned radar measurements show that the most intense ion upflux occurs adjacent to the boundary of intense electron precipitation characteristic of polar cap boundary intensifications and streamers, suggesting that the most efficient acceleration mechanisms couple ionospheric heating at F region altitude with dispersive Alfven waves that grow from horizontal gradients in electric field and conductivity.

AMISR‐14: Observations of equatorial spread F

A new, 14-panel Advanced Modular Incoherent Scatter Radar (AMISR-14) system was recently deployed at the Jicamarca Radio Observatory. We present results of the first coherent backscatter radar observations of equatorial spread F(ESF) irregularities made with the system. Colocation with the 50 MHz Jicamarca Unattended Long-term studies of the Ionosphere and Atmosphere (JULIA) radar allowed unique simultaneous observations of meter and submeter irregularities. Observations from both systems produced similar Range-Time-Intensity maps during bottom-type and bottomside ESF events. We were also able to use the electronic beam steering capability of AMISR-14 to “image” scattering structures in the magnetic equatorial plane and track their appearance, evolution, and decay with a much larger field of view than previously possible at Jicamarca. The results suggest zonal variations in the instability conditions leading to irregularities and demonstrate the dynamic behavior of F region scattering structures as they evolve and drift across the radar beams.

Concurrent observations at the magnetic equator of small-scale irregularities and large-scale depletions associated with equatorial spread F

In 2014 an all-sky imager (ASI) and an Advanced Modular Incoherent Scatter Radar consisting of 14 panels (AMISR-14) system were installed at the Jicamarca Radio Observatory. The ASI measures airglow depletions associated with large-scale equatorial spread F irregularities (10–500 km), while AMISR-14 detects small-scale irregularities (0.34 m). This study presents simultaneous observations of equatorial spread F (ESF) irregularities at 50–200 km scale sizes using the all-sky imager, at 3 m scale sizes using the JULIA (Jicamarca Unattended Long-term Investigations of the Ionosphere and Atmosphere) radar, and at 0.34 m scales using the AMISR-14 radar. We compare data from the three instruments on the night of 20–21 August 2014 by locating the radar scattering volume in the optical images. During this night no topside plumes were observed, and we only compare with bottomside ESF. AMISR-14 had five beams perpendicular to the magnetic field covering ~200 km in the east-west direction at 250 km altitude. Comparing the radar data with zenith ASI measurements, we found that most of the echoes occur on the western wall of the depletions with fewer echoes observed the eastern wall and center, contrary to previous comparisons of topside plumes that showed most of the echoes in the center of depleted regions. We attribute these differences to the occurrence of irregularities produced at submeter scales by the lower hybrid drift instability. Comparisons of the ASI observations with JULIA images show similar results to those found in the AMISR-14 and ASI comparison.