Journal article
Laboratory measurements of the physics of auroral electron acceleration by Alfven waves
Nature communications, Vol.12(1), 3103
06/07/2021
DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-23377-5
PMCID: PMC8184961
PMID: 34099653
Abstract
While the aurora has attracted attention for millennia, important questions remain unanswered. Foremost is how auroral electrons are accelerated before colliding with the ionosphere and producing auroral light. Powerful Alfven waves are often found traveling Earthward above auroras with sufficient energy to generate auroras, but there has been no direct measurement of the processes by which Alfven waves transfer their energy to auroral electrons. Here, we show laboratory measurements of the resonant transfer of energy from Alfven waves to electrons under conditions relevant to the auroral zone. Experiments are performed by launching Alfven waves and simultaneously recording the electron velocity distribution. Numerical simulations and analytical theory support that the measured energy transfer process produces accelerated electrons capable of reaching auroral energies. The experiments, theory, and simulations demonstrate a clear causal relationship between Alfven waves and accelerated electrons that directly cause auroras.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Laboratory measurements of the physics of auroral electron acceleration by Alfven waves
- Creators
- J. W. R. Schroeder - Wheaton Coll, Dept Phys, Wheaton, IL 60187 USAG. G. Howes - University of IowaC. A. Kletzing - University of IowaF. Skiff - University of IowaT. A. Carter - University of California, Los AngelesS. Vincena - University of California, Los AngelesS. Dorfman - Space Science Institute
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Nature communications, Vol.12(1), 3103
- DOI
- 10.1038/s41467-021-23377-5
- PMID
- 34099653
- PMCID
- PMC8184961
- NLM abbreviation
- Nat Commun
- eISSN
- 2041-1723
- Publisher
- NATURE PORTFOLIO
- Number of pages
- 9
- Grant note
- PHY-1561912 / National Science Foundation; National Science Foundation (NSF) DE-SC0014599 / DOE; United States Department of Energy (DOE) AGS-1054061; GRF-1048957 / NSF; National Science Foundation (NSF) 80NSSC18K1217 / NASA; National Aeronautics & Space Administration (NASA) DE-FC02-07ER54918 / Department of Energy; United States Department of Energy (DOE)
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 06/07/2021
- Academic Unit
- Physics and Astronomy
- Record Identifier
- 9984428833102771
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