Auroral electron energy derived from ratio of spectroscopic emissions 1. Model computations

Abstract

The relationship between auroral electron fluxes and spectroscopic emission features in aurora is quantitatively explored. The model computations focus on the prominent auroral radiations of atomic oxygen at 6300 Å and 5577 Å and a vibrational band of ionized molecular nitrogen at 4278 Å. The emission rate ratios, 6300/4278, 5577/4278, and 6300/5577, together with the absolute emission rate of the 4278‐Å radiation, may be used to infer a characteristic energy of the precipitating electron flux. This characteristic energy and the 4278‐Å intensity then determine the total electron flux and the energy deposition rate. Computational results are presented in easily used curves, and the assumptions made in the model calculations are discussed in the text. At the present time it appears that the ratio 6300/4278 is the most reliable and informative of the set.

Reconstruction of electron precipitation characteristics from a set of multiwavelength digital all‐sky auroral images

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Theoretical constraints on the generation mechanism of auroral medium frequency burst radio emissions

“…Intersections between dashed and solid lines indicate resonances between EA/ECS modes and auroral electrons. [Rees, 1969;Rees and Luckey, 1974], reducing this bandwidth similarly. Hence, the only way to produce a broadband spectrum, ∼1.5-4.5 MHz, is to have wave generation at a range of altitudes.…”

Auroral meridian scanning photometer calibration using Jupiter

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