Journal of Geophysical Research, vol. 89, April 1, 1984, p. 2195-2210.
S3-3 satellite measurements within upgoing ion beams are studied, in order to ascertain the role played by beam regions in ionosphere- magnetosphere coupling and auroral particle acceleration, using numerical integrations over measured electron and ion distribution functions to yield estimates of energetic particle contributions to auroral plasma bulk properties. Energetic ions are found to carry most of the parallel momentum flux, while energetic electrons carry most of the energy flux and field-aligned current in ion beam regions and therefore account for the carrying of the upward field-aligned current from the dense ionosphere to the distant magnetotail. Momentum fluxes are used to investigate forces exerted by both the acceleration process and the way that these forces are transmitted from the ionosphere to the magnetosphere.
Major Subject Terms: COUPLING, EARTH IONOSPHERE, EARTH MAGNETOSPHERE, ION BEAMS, MAGNETOSPHERE-IONOSPHERE COUPLING
Minor Subject Terms: ELECTRON DISTRIBUTION, ELECTROSTATIC WAVES, EXPLORER 12 SATELLITE, FIELD ALIGNED CURRENTS, ION CYCLOTRON RADIATION, ION DISTRIBUTION, MOMENTUM, PARTICLE ACCELERATION
CASI Accession Number: A8430760 ISSN 0148-0227