Stormtime Subauroral Density Troughs: Ion-Molecule Kinetics Effects

摘要

We report on subauroral plasma density troughs observed by Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) satellites during the major magnetic storm of 6 April 2000. The troughs were embedded within strongly irregular, greater than or equal to 500-km wide subauroral convection streams, composed of two distinctive parts. The poleward part coincided with strong wave structures, energetic (ring current) ion precipitations, and enhanced vertical ion flows. One or several narrow density decreases were present here. The equatorward part was marked by a density trough coincident with a local maximum of the electron temperature (caret)7000-9000 K. Here the ion temperatures and downward vertical ion velocities were (caret)2000 K and.