In:
Reviews of Geophysics, American Geophysical Union (AGU), Vol. 7, No. 3 ( 1969-08), p. 461-482
Abstract:
Measurements of the distribution of auroral particles with energy and pitch angle have not given much of a clue to the precipitating mechanism, except to indicate that it occurs locally, in the magnetosphere. The available data, including observations of periodicities in auroral bombardment, hint that at least two different mechanisms are operative. With the aid of a simplified model for an accelerating electric field, the kind of dependences on angle and energy to be expected are illustrated. Quantitative discussion is restricted to cases where the electric potential is small compared with the energy dispersion of trapped particles, and the results are thus probably more applicable to instability mechanisms than to the electrostatic precipitation treated by Taylor and Hones. Simultaneous measures of the spectrum at different pitch angles above the atmosphere could be combined to test any given model of electric acceleration. In spite of the wealth of measurements, adequate data do not yet seem to be available.
Type of Medium:
Online Resource
ISSN:
8755-1209
,
1944-9208
DOI:
10.1029/RG007i003p00461
Language:
English
Publisher:
American Geophysical Union (AGU)
Publication Date:
1969
detail.hit.zdb_id:
2035391-1
detail.hit.zdb_id:
209852-0
detail.hit.zdb_id:
209853-2
SSG:
16,13
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