1. Observations of ion upflow and 630.0 nm emission during pulsating aurora
- Author
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Niharika H. Godbole, Marc R. Lessard, David R. Kenward, Bruce A. Fritz, Roger. H. Varney, Robert G. Michell, and Don Hampton
- Subjects
ion upflow ,ion outflow ,pulsating aurora ,red-line emission ,630.0 nm emission ,Physics ,QC1-999 - Abstract
In this study, we report observations made by filtered (557.7 and 630.0 nm) All-Sky Imagers located at Poker Flat, Alaska alongside Poker Flat Incoherent Scatter Radar data for an event observed on 5 February 2017. Together, the data indicate ion upflow in the vicinity of pulsating aurora. Additionally, the data show a strong 630.0 nm (red-line) auroral emission. Observations of pulsating aurora are typically reported at 557.7 and 427.8 nm, as these wavelengths are more sensitive to high-energy (∼ tens of keV) electron precipitation. In contrast, 630.0 nm emission is generated preferentially by low-energy soft electron precipitation (∼ hundreds of eV), and is less commonly observed. The All-Sky Imager data discussed here are unusual in that they suggest regions of enhanced soft electron precipitation in conjunction with enhanced ambipolar electric fields, which are a known factor contributing to ion outflow.
- Published
- 2022
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