Calculation of auroral emission rates and heating effects.
Auroral emission rates and heating effects as function of altitudes
Stolarski, R. S.↗
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The dependence of modeled OI 1356 and N2 Lyman Birge Hopfield auroral emissions on the neutral atmosphere
The sensitivity of selected auroral emissions to anticipated changes in the neutral atmosphere was investigated from the results of a series of sensitivity studies conducted using an auroral emission code developed by Richards and Torr (1990). In particular, the behavior of OI 1356 and two Lyman Birge Hopfield (LBH) bands and their ratios to each other with changing atmospheric composition was examined. It was found that, for anticipated average uncertainties in the neutral atmosphere (factor 2 at auroral altitudes), the resultant change in the modeled intensities is comparable to or less than the uncertainty in the neutral atmosphere. The variation in the I 1356/I 1838 ratio over the equivalent of a solar cycle is less than 50 percent, and the summer-to-winter changes are approximately a factor of 2.
Germany, G. A.↗
Theoretical and experimental studies relevant to interpretation of auroral emissions
This report describes the accomplishments of a program designed to develop the tools necessary to interpret auroral emissions measured from a space-based platform. The research was divided into two major areas. The first area was a laboratory study designed to improve our understanding of the space vehicle external environment and how it will affect the space-based measurement of auroral emissions. Facilities have been setup and measurements taken to simulate the gas phase environment around a space vehicle; the radiation environment encountered by an orbiting vehicle that passes through the Earth's radiation belts; and the thermal environment of a vehicle in Earth orbit. The second major area of study was a modeling program to develop the capability of using auroral images at various wavelengths to infer the total energy influx and characteristic energy of the incident auroral particles. An ab initio auroral calculation has been added to the extant ionospheric/thermospheric global modeling capabilities within our group. Once the addition of the code was complete, the combined model was used to compare the relative intensities and behavior of various emission sources (dayglow, aurora, etc.). Attached papers included are: 'Laboratory Facility for Simulation of Vehicle-Environment Interactions'; 'Workshop on the Induced Environment of Space Station Freedom'; 'Radiation Damage Effects in Far Ultraviolet Filters and Substrates'; 'Radiation Damage Effects in Far Ultraviolet Filters, Thin Films, and Substrates'; 'Use of FUV Auroral Emissions as Diagnostic Indicators'; and 'Determination of Ionospheric Conductivities from FUV Auroral Emissions'.
Keffer, Charles E.↗
IUE observations of longitudinal and temporal variations in the Jovian auroral emission
The IUE's short wavelength spectrograph has been used to monitor the auroral emissions from Jupiter's northern hemisphere, yielding eight observations between January 1981 and January 1982 of H I Lyman-alpha and the H2 Lyman and Werner bands. Attention is given to an apparent periodic emission flux fluctuation, through detailed modeling of the emission geometry. Two possible auroral zones are defined at the north pole by mapping the magnetic field lines from the Io torus and the magnetotail onto the planet's atmosphere. The observed variation in flux with central meridian longitude is not consistent with a uniform brightness as a function of magnetic longitude in either auroral zone. The data can be fitted by confining the emissions to the region of the northern torus auroral zone, in qualitative agreement with the magnetic anomaly model. A similar emission from the magnetotail auroral zone cannot be ruled out.
Skinner, T. E.↗
Theoretical and experimental studies relevant to interpretation of auroral emissions
The accomplishments achieved over the past year are detailed with emphasis on the interpretation or auroral emissions and studies of potential spacecraft-induced contamination effects. Accordingly, the research was divided into two tasks. The first task is designed to add to the understanding of space vehicle induced external contamination. An experimental facility for simulation of the external environment for a spacecraft in low earth orbit was developed. The facility was used to make laboratory measurements of important phenomena required for improving the understanding of the space vehicle induced external environment and its effect on measurement of auroral emissions from space-based platforms. A workshop was sponsored to provide a forum for presentation of the latest research by nationally recognized experts on space vehicle contamination and to discuss the impact of this research on future missions involving space-based platforms. The second task is to add an ab initio auroral calculation to the extant ionospheric/thermospheric global modeling capabilities. Once the addition of the code was complete, the combined model was to be used to compare the relative intensities and behavior of various emission sources (dayglow, aurora, etc.). Such studies are essential to an understanding of the types of vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) auroral images which are expected to be available within two years with the successful deployment of the Ultraviolet Imager (UVI) on the ISTP POLAR spacecraft. In anticipation of this, the second task includes support for meetings of the science working group for the UVI to discuss operational and data analysis needs. Taken together, the proposed tasks outline a course of study designed to make significant contributions to the field of space-based auroral imaging.
Keffer, Charles E.↗
Use of FUV auroral emissions as diagnostic indicators
In an earlier study we modeled selected Far Ultraviolet (FUV) auroral emissions (O I(1356 A), N2 Lyman-Birge-Hopfield (LBH) (1464 A), and LBH (1838 A)) to examine the sensitivity of these emissions and their ratios to likely changes in the neutral atmosphere. In this paper we extend that study to examine the dependence of these same emissions and their ratios on the shape of the energy distribution of the auroral electrons. In particular, we wish to determine whether changes in energy spectra might interfere with our determination of the characteristic energy. Modeled column-integrated emissions show relatively small (less than 30%) dependences on the shape and width of the incident energy spectrum, provided the average energy and total energy flux of the energy distribution are held constant. Long-wavelength FUV emissions, which are relatively unaffected by O2 absorption losses, exhibit virtually no dependence on the shape of the incident energy distribution. Changes in ratios of FUV short- to long-wavelength emissions as a function of characteristic energy are much larger than those due to changes in energy distribution. As a result, the determination of characteristic energy using these emission ratios is relatively unambiguous. We also examine the relative intensities of the aurora and the dayglow for various conditions. The intensities of modeled FUV auroral emissions relative to the dayglow emissions are presented as a function of solar zenith angle and incident energy flux. Under certain conditions (energy flux less than or equal 1 erg/sq cm/s and solar zenith angle less than or equal 50 deg) the dayglow will be limiting factor in the detection of weak auroras.
Germany, G. A.↗
Multiscale Auroral Emission Statistics as Evidence of Turbulent Reconnection in Earth's Midtail Plasma Sheet
We provide indirect evidence for turbulent reconnection in Earth's midtail plasma sheet by reexamining the statistical properties of bright, nightside auroral emission events as observed by the UVI experiment on the Polar spacecraft and discussed previously by Uritsky et al. The events are divided into two groups: (1) those that map to absolute value of (X(sub GSM)) < 12 R(sub E) in the magnetotail and do not show scale-free statistics and (2) those that map to absolute value of (X(sub GSM)) > 12 R(sub E) and do show scale-free statistics. The absolute value of (X(sub GSM)) dependence is shown to most effectively organize the events into these two groups. Power law exponents obtained for group 2 are shown to validate the conclusions of Uritsky et al. concerning the existence of critical dynamics in the auroral emissions. It is suggested that the auroral dynamics is a reflection of a critical state in the magnetotail that is based on the dynamics of turbulent reconnection in the midtail plasma sheet.
Klimas, Alex↗
Inversion techniques for recovering two-dimensional distributions of auroral emission rates from tomographic rocket photometer measurements
This paper demonstrates how the spatial distribution of optical emission rates within an auroral arc may be recovered from rocket photometer measurements made in a tomographic spin scan mode. The tomographic inversion procedures required to recover this information and the implementation of two inversion algorithms that are particularly well suited for dealing with the problem of noise in the observational data are described. The performance of the inversion algorithms and the limitations of the rocket tomography technique are assessed using various sets of simulated rocket measurements that were generated from 'known' auroral emission-rate distributions. The simulations are used to investigate how the quality of the tomographic recovery may be influenced by various factors such as noise in the data, rocket penetration of the auroral form, background sources of emission, smearing due to the photometer field of view, and temporal variations in the auroral form.
Mcdade, Ian. C.↗
Determination of ionospheric conductivities from FUV auroral emissions
The purpose of this paper is to examine the viability of using Lyman-Birge-Hopfeld (LBH) emission ratios to infer auroral conductances and to quantify the strengths and weaknesses of this technique. We show that column-integrated Hall and Pedersen conductances may be determined from a single remote measurement of a pair of auroral LBH emissions, one in the region of strong O2 absorption (1464 A) and one lying outside of this region (1838 A). The dependence of the determined conductivities on incident average energy, total energy flux, and changes in solar and magnetic activity levels is examined. We show that, for eneriges above 5 keV, auroral conductances may be scaled by the square root of the incident energy flux with errors less than about 20%. For lower energies, however, the scaling may deviate significantly from a power of 0.5. We provide appropriate scaling factors as a function of average energy. We also note that the choice of either a Gaussian or Maxwellian distribution can significantly affect low-energy (less than keV) conductance calculations. Finally, we quantify the conditions under which the mean energy of a Gaussian energy distribution may differ significantly from the characteristic energy.
Germany, G. A.↗
Local Time Dependence of Jupiter's Polar Auroral Emissions Observed by Juno UVS
Auroral brightness and color ratio imagery, captured using the Juno mission's Ultraviolet Spectrograph, display intense emissions poleward of Jupiter's northern main emission, and these are split into two distinctly different spectral or “color ratio” regimes. The most poleward region, designated the “swirl region” by Grodent et al. (2003), https://doi.org/10.1029/2003ja010017, exhibits a high color ratio, while low color ratio emissions are found within the collar around the swirl region but still poleward of the main emission. We confirm the apparent strong magnetospheric local time control within the polar collar (Grodent et al., 2003, https://doi.org/10.1029/2003ja010017), with the dusk side bright “active region” emissions extending from ∼11 to 22 hr of magnetospheric local time. These bright emissions dim by at least an order of magnitude between ∼0 and 11 hr magnetospheric local time, in the midnight to dawn side “dark region.” This magnetospheric local time structure holds true even when the entire northern oval is located on the night side of the planet (in ionospheric local time), a geometry unstudied prior to Juno, as it is unobservable from Earth. The swirl region brightens at ionospheric dawn (∼5–7 ionospheric local time) and diminishes or completely disappears at ionospheric local times of ∼20–22 hr. Finally, the southern auroral polar emissions appear to share all of the local time dependencies of its northern counterpart, but at a reduced intensity
Thomas Greathouse↗
Observations of a High-Latitude Stable Electron Auroral Emission at Approximately 16 MLT During a Large Substorm
During an interval when the interplanetary magnetic field was large and primarily duskward and southward, a stable region of auroral emission was observed on 17 August 2001 by IMAGE at 16 magnetic local time, poleward of the main aurora, for 1 h, from before the onset of a large substorm through the recovery phase. In a region where ions showed the energy dispersion expected for the cusp, strong field \aligned currents and Poynting flux were observed by Polar (at 1.8 RE in the Southern Hemisphere) as it transited field lines mapping to the auroral spot in the Northern Hemisphere. The data are consistent with the hypothesis that the long \lasting electron auroral spot maps to the magnetopause region where reconnection was occurring. Under the assumption of conjugacy between the Northern and Southern hemispheres on these field lines, the Polar data suggest that the electrons on these field lines were accelerated by Alfven waves and/or a quasi \static electric field, primarily at altitudes below a few RE since the in situ Poynting flux (mapped to 100 km) is comparable to the energy flux of the emission while the mapped in situ electron energy flux is much smaller. This event provides the first example of an emission due to electrons accelerated at low altitudes at the foot point of a region of quasi \steady dayside reconnection. Cluster data in the magnetotail indicate that the Poynting flux from the reconnection region during this substorm is large enough to account for the observed nightside aurora.
Cattell, C.↗
Theoretical and experimental studies relevant to interpretation of auroral emissions
The results obtained in the second year of a three year collaborative effort with MSFC are summarized. A succession of experimental studies was completed to determine the effects of the natural and induced space vehicle environment on the measurement of auroral images from space-based platforms. In addition, a global model which incorporates both auroral and dayglow emission sources is being developed to allow interpretation of measured auroral emissions. A description of work completed on these two tasks is presented.
Keffer, Charles E.↗
Analysis of nitrogen and oxygen far ultraviolet auroral emissions
Far ultraviolet observations of the auroral and airglow provide quantitative diagnostics of atmospheric abundances, energy deposition, and excitation processes because many atmospheric species have resonance transitions in this spectral region. The spectroscopy of an active auroral arc observed above Fort Churchill on March 29, 1978, has been discussed by Feldman and Gentieu (1982). The present investigation attempts to quantify the measurements with the aid of a self-consistent approach used by Meier et al. (1980). It is shown that the primary electron spectrum has a characteristic energy of 1.75-2.5 keV, corresponding to energy deposition rates of 5-8 erg/(sq cm-sec). Atomic nitrogen emissions resulting from molecular dissociative excitation show no evidence of multiple scattering, in contrast to data from other auroras.
Meier, R. R.↗
Global scale auroral emissions on Jupiter
Jupiter's aurora are normally confined to limited regions around the magnetic poles. Our collected spectra show that very unusual periods of global scale auroral activity occurred during September and November of 1988. During the global scale events, the H2 and H3(+) emissions remained confined to their unusual auroral zones, but strong, unidentified emissions appeared in the vicinity of the H2 quadrupole lines. This would suggest that unusual periods of widespread magnetospheric dumping occurred.
Trafton, L.↗
Determining the source region of auroral emissions in the prenoon oval using coordinated Polar BEAR UV-imaging and DMSP particle measurements
The Polar Beacon Experiment and Auroral Research (Polar BEAR) satellite included the capability for imaging the dayside auroral oval in full sunlight at several wavelengths. Particle observations from the DMSP F7 satellite during dayside auroral oval crossings are compared with approximately simultaneous Polar BEAR 1356-A images to determine the magnetospheric source region of the dayside auroral oval. The source region is determined from the DMSP particle data, according to recent work concerning the classification and identification of precipitation source regions. The close DMSP/Polar BEAR coincidences all occur when the former satellite is located between 0945 and 1000 MLT. Instances of auroral arcs mapping to each of several different regions, including the boundary plasma sheet, the low-latitude boundary layer, and the plasma mantle were found. It was determined that about half the time the most prominent auroral arcs are located at the interfaces between distinct plasma regions, at least at the local time studied here.
Newell, Patrick T.↗
Alfvenic Fluctuations Associated with Jupiter's Auroral Emissions
The Alfvén wave mode transmits field‐aligned currents and large‐scale turbulence throughout Jupiter's magnetosphere. Magnetometer data from the Juno spacecraft have provided the first observations of Alfvénic fluctuations along the polar magnetic flux tubes connected to Jupiter's main auroral oval and the Jovian satellites. Transverse magnetic field perturbations associated with Io are observed up to ~90° away from main Io footprint, supporting the presence of extended Alfvénic wave activity throughout the Io footprint tail. Additional broadband fluctuations measured equatorward of the statistical auroral oval are composed of incompressible magnetic turbulence that maps to Jupiter's equatorial plasma sheet at radial distances within ~20 R(sub J). These fluctuations exhibit a k(sub ||) power spectrum consistent with strong magnetohydrodynamic turbulence. This turbulence can generate up to ~100 mW/m(exp 2) of Poynting flux to power the Jovian aurora in regions connected to the inner magnetosphere's central plasma sheet.
Gershman, Daniel J.↗
Auroral emissions and particle precipitation in the noon sector.
Comparison of airborne optical measurements during December 1969 with satellite particle measurements made earlier in 1969. The latitudinal distributions of H beta, 4278-A and 6300-A emissions during quiet periods are observed to agree with what would be expected from the latitudinal distribution of particle precipitation during similar conditions. In particular, there is a belt 200 to 500 km wide (at ionospheric heights) in which the magnetosheath plasma penetrates down to low altitudes through the cusps in the dayside magnetosphere and in which both H beta and 6300-A emissions are observed. There are brighter red arcs with green lower borders within this belt. It is suggested that these are produced by narrow regions of precipitation of slightly more energetic electrons embedded in the cusp fluxes. Poleward of this belt the flux of particles is low, and the atmospheric emissions are very weak, except for occasional narrow regions of electron precipitation (without measurable protons) and the corresponding polar-cap aurora (without the H beta emission).
Heikkila, W. J.↗
Electron excitation and auroral emission parameters.
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Judge, R. J. R.↗