Estimation of the characteristic energy of electron precipitation

Data from simultaneous observations (on 13 February 1996, 9 November 1998, and 12 February 1999) with the IRIS, DASI and EISCAT systems are employed in the study of the energy distribution of the electron precipitation during substorm activity. The estimation of the characteristic energy of...

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Main Authors: C. F. del Pozo, M. J. Kosch, F. Honary
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Copernicus Publications 2002-09-01
Series:Annales Geophysicae
Online Access:https://www.ann-geophys.net/20/1349/2002/angeo-20-1349-2002.pdf
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author C. F. del Pozo
C. F. del Pozo
C. F. del Pozo
M. J. Kosch
F. Honary
author_facet C. F. del Pozo
C. F. del Pozo
C. F. del Pozo
M. J. Kosch
F. Honary
author_sort C. F. del Pozo
collection DOAJ
description Data from simultaneous observations (on 13 February 1996, 9 November 1998, and 12 February 1999) with the IRIS, DASI and EISCAT systems are employed in the study of the energy distribution of the electron precipitation during substorm activity. The estimation of the characteristic energy of the electron precipitation over the common field of view of IRIS and DASI is discussed. In particular, we look closely at the physical basis of the correspondence between the characteristic energy, the flux-averaged energy, as defined below, and the logarithm of the ratio of the green-light intensity to the square of absorption. This study expands and corrects results presented in the paper by Kosch et al. (2001). It is noticed, moreover, that acceleration associated with diffusion processes in the magnetosphere long before precipitation may be controlling the shape of the energy spectrum. We propose and test a &quot;mixed&quot; distribution for the energy-flux spectrum, exponential at the lower energies and Maxwellian or modified power-law at the higher energies, with a threshold energy separating these two regimes. The energy-flux spectrum at Tromsø, in the 1–320 keV range, is derived from EISCAT electron density profiles in the 70–140 km altitude range and is applied in the &quot;calibration&quot; of the optical intensity and absorption distributions, in order to extrapolate the flux and characteristic energy maps.<br><br><b>Key words. </b>Ionosphere (auroral ionosphere; particle precipitation; particle acceleration)
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spelling doaj.art-0d995d0cacc14884a8fe1911a09930ec2022-12-21T17:45:27ZengCopernicus PublicationsAnnales Geophysicae0992-76891432-05762002-09-01201349135910.5194/angeo-20-1349-2002Estimation of the characteristic energy of electron precipitationC. F. del Pozo0C. F. del Pozo1C. F. del Pozo2M. J. Kosch3F. Honary4Correspondence to: C. F. del PozoDepartment Communication Systems, Lancaster University, Lancaster LA1 4YR, UK(c.del.pozo@lancaster.ac.uk)Department Communication Systems, Lancaster University, Lancaster LA1 4YR, UKDepartment Communication Systems, Lancaster University, Lancaster LA1 4YR, UKData from simultaneous observations (on 13 February 1996, 9 November 1998, and 12 February 1999) with the IRIS, DASI and EISCAT systems are employed in the study of the energy distribution of the electron precipitation during substorm activity. The estimation of the characteristic energy of the electron precipitation over the common field of view of IRIS and DASI is discussed. In particular, we look closely at the physical basis of the correspondence between the characteristic energy, the flux-averaged energy, as defined below, and the logarithm of the ratio of the green-light intensity to the square of absorption. This study expands and corrects results presented in the paper by Kosch et al. (2001). It is noticed, moreover, that acceleration associated with diffusion processes in the magnetosphere long before precipitation may be controlling the shape of the energy spectrum. We propose and test a &quot;mixed&quot; distribution for the energy-flux spectrum, exponential at the lower energies and Maxwellian or modified power-law at the higher energies, with a threshold energy separating these two regimes. The energy-flux spectrum at Tromsø, in the 1–320 keV range, is derived from EISCAT electron density profiles in the 70–140 km altitude range and is applied in the &quot;calibration&quot; of the optical intensity and absorption distributions, in order to extrapolate the flux and characteristic energy maps.<br><br><b>Key words. </b>Ionosphere (auroral ionosphere; particle precipitation; particle acceleration)https://www.ann-geophys.net/20/1349/2002/angeo-20-1349-2002.pdf
spellingShingle C. F. del Pozo
C. F. del Pozo
C. F. del Pozo
M. J. Kosch
F. Honary
Estimation of the characteristic energy of electron precipitation
Annales Geophysicae
title Estimation of the characteristic energy of electron precipitation
title_full Estimation of the characteristic energy of electron precipitation
title_fullStr Estimation of the characteristic energy of electron precipitation
title_full_unstemmed Estimation of the characteristic energy of electron precipitation
title_short Estimation of the characteristic energy of electron precipitation
title_sort estimation of the characteristic energy of electron precipitation
url https://www.ann-geophys.net/20/1349/2002/angeo-20-1349-2002.pdf
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