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In situ observations of density cavities extending above the auroral acceleration region
KTH, School of Electrical Engineering (EES), Space and Plasma Physics.ORCID iD: 0000-0001-6997-7037
KTH, School of Electrical Engineering (EES), Space and Plasma Physics.ORCID iD: 0000-0002-1594-1861
KTH, School of Electrical Engineering (EES), Space and Plasma Physics.ORCID iD: 0000-0003-1270-1616
2014 (English)In: Journal of Geophysical Research - Space Physics, ISSN 2169-9380, E-ISSN 2169-9402, Vol. 119, no 7, p. 5286-5294Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]

The uppermost part of a stable potential structure in the auroral acceleration region was studied using simultaneous observations of Cluster satellites C1 and C3. Both satellites observe a monotonically decreasing electron density as they ascend through the auroral acceleration region. As C1 exits the top of the auroral acceleration region, the electron densities continue to decrease, and the minimum electron density is reached 14 km above the upper edge of the auroral acceleration region. The electron density does not return to noncavity values until the spacecraft exits the potential structure's flux tube. The data indicate that the auroral density cavity is not confined by the potential structure and may extend above the auroral acceleration region.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
American Geophysical Union (AGU), 2014. Vol. 119, no 7, p. 5286-5294
Keywords [en]
auroral acceleration region, auroral density cavity, potential structure
National Category
Astronomy, Astrophysics and Cosmology
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:kth:diva-150940DOI: 10.1002/2014JA019799ISI: 000340549000014Scopus ID: 2-s2.0-84906309021OAI: oai:DiVA.org:kth-150940DiVA, id: diva2:746178
Note

QC 20140912

QC 20151209

Available from: 2014-09-12 Created: 2014-09-11 Last updated: 2022-06-23Bibliographically approved
In thesis
1. Cluster investigations of the extent and altitude distribution of the auroral density cavity
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Cluster investigations of the extent and altitude distribution of the auroral density cavity
2015 (English)Doctoral thesis, comprehensive summary (Other academic)
Abstract [en]

The auroral density cavity constitutes the boundary between the cold, dense ionospheric plasma and the hot, tenuous plasma sheet plasma. The auroral density cavity is characterized by low electron density and particle populations modified by parallel electric fields. Inside the cavity the electron densities can be as much as a factor 100-1000 lower than same altitude outside the cavity.The Cluster mission's wide range of instruments, long lifetime and ability to make multi-spacecraft observations has been very successful. Over its 15 year lifespan, the Cluster satellites have gathered data on auroral density cavities over a large altitude range and throughout an entire solar cycle, providing a vast data material.The extent of the density cavity and acceleration region is large compared to the typical altitude coverage of a satellite crossing the cavity. This makes it difficult to produce a comprehensive altitude/density profile from a single crossing. In order to facilitate comparisons between data from different events, we introduce a new reference frame, pseudo altitude. Pseudo altitude describes the satellites' position relative to the acceleration region, as opposed to relative to the Earth. This pseudo altitude is constructed by dividing the parallel potential drop below the satellite with the total parallel potential drop. A pseudo altitude of 0 corresponds to the bottom of the acceleration region and a pseudo altitude of 1 to the top of the acceleration region. As expected, the pseudo altitude increases with altitude. The electron density exhibits an anti-correlation with the pseudo altitude, the density becomes lower close to the upper edge of the acceleration region. The upper edge of the acceleration region is located between a geocentric altitude of 4.375 and 5.625 RE. Above the upper edge of the acceleration region, the electron density continues to decrease for the entire range of the study, 3.0-6.5 RE. This is much further than the geocentric altitude range of 2-3 RE which is suggested by previous models. We can conclude that the auroral density cavity is not confined by the auroral acceleration region, as suggested by previous models, and may extend all the way to the plasma sheet.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Stockholm: KTH Royal Institute of Technology, 2015. p. xi, 58
Series
TRITA-EE, ISSN 1653-5146 ; 2015:100
Keywords
Auroral density cavity, auroral accelaration, Cluster, in situ observation, electron density, pseudo altitude
National Category
Fusion, Plasma and Space Physics
Research subject
Physics
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:kth:diva-176285 (URN)978-91-7595-729-6 (ISBN)
Public defence
2015-11-20, Kollegiesalen, Brinellvägen 8, KTH, Stockholm, 13:15 (English)
Opponent
Supervisors
Note

QC 20151102

Available from: 2015-11-02 Created: 2015-11-02 Last updated: 2022-08-24Bibliographically approved

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Alm, LoveMarklund, Göran T.Karlsson, Tomas

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