Low-frequency magnetic turbulence in the high-latitude topside ionosphere - Low-frequency waves or field-aligned currents?

Annick Berthelier (1) , J.-C. Cerisier (1) , Jean-Jacques Berthelier (1) , L. Rezeau (1)

1 CRPE - Centre de recherches en physique de l'environnement terrestre et planétaire

An analysis of high-resolution magnetic field fluctuations observed on board the ARCAD-Aureol-3 satellite is presented. It is shown that magnetic turbulence takes place at the interface between region 1 and region 2 large-scale field-aligned currents. A spectral analysis permits studying the frequency variation of the power spectrum, polarization and wave normal direction. Also, it is shown that the nonstrictly transverse polarization is elliptical and not linear.

Mots clés: EARTH IONOSPHERE; FIELD ALIGNED CURRENTS; MAGNETIC DISTURBANCES; PLASMA TURBULENCE; SATELLITE SOUNDING; MAGNETIC FIELD CONFIGURATIONS; POWER SPECTRA; SPECTRUM ANALYSIS

Domaines: Physique des plasmas [physics.plasm-ph]; Planétologie et astrophysique de la terre [astro-ph.EP]; Planétologie et astrophysique de la terre [astro-ph.EP]

Annick Berthelier, J.-C. Cerisier, Jean-Jacques Berthelier, L. Rezeau. Low-frequency magnetic turbulence in the high-latitude topside ionosphere - Low-frequency waves or field-aligned currents?. Journal of Atmospheric and Terrestrial Physics, 1991, 53 (3-4), pp.333-341. ⟨hal-00408552⟩