A mechanism of the auroral substorm expansion onset: electric discharge in the double layer
Magnetospheric substorms often occur when a significant amount of energy from the solar wind is deposited and stored in the magnetotail during the growth phase and release explosively in the expansion phase, which accelerates charged particles causing the rapid auroral intensification. A physical me...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2023-11-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Astronomy and Space Sciences |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fspas.2023.1296626/full |
| _version_ | 1797614250498195456 |
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| author | Yan Song R. L. Lysak |
| author_facet | Yan Song R. L. Lysak |
| author_sort | Yan Song |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Magnetospheric substorms often occur when a significant amount of energy from the solar wind is deposited and stored in the magnetotail during the growth phase and release explosively in the expansion phase, which accelerates charged particles causing the rapid auroral intensification. A physical mechanism is needed to release the energy explosively. The formation of double layers is a likely mechanism for the energy release and the acceleration of particles and triggers the onset of the expansion phase. We suggest that the localized parallel electric field that forms the double layer results from the displacement current complying with Ampere’s law for the dynamic case. The double layers are embedded in low density cavities surrounded by enhanced magnetic stresses. Positive feedback in the electric field generation may cause rapid release of the accumulated energy. The Poynting flux carried by Alfven waves continuously supplies the energy to maintain strong electric fields during the rapid development of auroral substorms. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T07:07:00Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-de4fe8faf56b4fd190fc4087baa8e2ef |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2296-987X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T07:07:00Z |
| publishDate | 2023-11-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Astronomy and Space Sciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-de4fe8faf56b4fd190fc4087baa8e2ef2023-11-17T08:55:54ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Astronomy and Space Sciences2296-987X2023-11-011010.3389/fspas.2023.12966261296626A mechanism of the auroral substorm expansion onset: electric discharge in the double layerYan SongR. L. LysakMagnetospheric substorms often occur when a significant amount of energy from the solar wind is deposited and stored in the magnetotail during the growth phase and release explosively in the expansion phase, which accelerates charged particles causing the rapid auroral intensification. A physical mechanism is needed to release the energy explosively. The formation of double layers is a likely mechanism for the energy release and the acceleration of particles and triggers the onset of the expansion phase. We suggest that the localized parallel electric field that forms the double layer results from the displacement current complying with Ampere’s law for the dynamic case. The double layers are embedded in low density cavities surrounded by enhanced magnetic stresses. Positive feedback in the electric field generation may cause rapid release of the accumulated energy. The Poynting flux carried by Alfven waves continuously supplies the energy to maintain strong electric fields during the rapid development of auroral substorms.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fspas.2023.1296626/fullsubstorm onsetauroral substormdouble layerdisplacement currentparallel electric field |
| spellingShingle | Yan Song R. L. Lysak A mechanism of the auroral substorm expansion onset: electric discharge in the double layer Frontiers in Astronomy and Space Sciences substorm onset auroral substorm double layer displacement current parallel electric field |
| title | A mechanism of the auroral substorm expansion onset: electric discharge in the double layer |
| title_full | A mechanism of the auroral substorm expansion onset: electric discharge in the double layer |
| title_fullStr | A mechanism of the auroral substorm expansion onset: electric discharge in the double layer |
| title_full_unstemmed | A mechanism of the auroral substorm expansion onset: electric discharge in the double layer |
| title_short | A mechanism of the auroral substorm expansion onset: electric discharge in the double layer |
| title_sort | mechanism of the auroral substorm expansion onset electric discharge in the double layer |
| topic | substorm onset auroral substorm double layer displacement current parallel electric field |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fspas.2023.1296626/full |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT yansong amechanismoftheauroralsubstormexpansiononsetelectricdischargeinthedoublelayer AT rllysak amechanismoftheauroralsubstormexpansiononsetelectricdischargeinthedoublelayer AT yansong mechanismoftheauroralsubstormexpansiononsetelectricdischargeinthedoublelayer AT rllysak mechanismoftheauroralsubstormexpansiononsetelectricdischargeinthedoublelayer |