Enhancement of electric and magnetic wave fields at density gradients

A. Reiniusson (1) , G. Stenberg (1, 2) , P. Norqvist (1) , Anders I. Eriksson (2) , K. Rönnmark (1)

1 Department of Physics
2 IRF - Swedish Institute of Space Physics [Kiruna]

We use Freja satellite data to investigate irregular small-scale density variations. The observations are made in the auroral region at about 1000-1700 km. The density variations are a few percent, and the structures are found to be spatial down to a scale length of a few ion gyroradii. Irregular density variations are often found in an environment of whistler mode/lower hybrid waves and we show that at the density gradients both the electric and magnetic wave fields are enhanced.

Domaines: Océan, Atmosphère; Sciences de la Terre

A. Reiniusson, G. Stenberg, P. Norqvist, Anders I. Eriksson, K. Rönnmark. Enhancement of electric and magnetic wave fields at density gradients. Annales Geophysicae, 2006, 24 (1), pp.367-379. ⟨hal-00317941⟩