Abstract Auroral roar originates in Earth's ionosphere at altitudes of several hundred kilometers where the upper hybrid frequency matches a harmonic of the electron gyrofrequency. These radio emissions are important for remote sensing of ionospheric plasma conditions and processes, and their physics is similar to that of astrophysical radio emissions. In this study, direction finding was used to establish the distribution of direction of arrival (DOA) angles for the third harmonic emissions and to compare the direction angles of second harmonic and events when they occur simultaneously. Data were collected for 42 events from 9 May 2022 to 20 May 2023 by a three antenna array in Toolik Lake, AK (68.6°N, 149.6°W, 68.5° magnetic latitude) with a DOA distribution centered overhead. 30% of the events coming from the south, for which azimuth deviations due to refraction are less significant, were on the same azimuth within 10°, the uncertainty of the measurement. This is a lower bound on the fraction of simultaneous harmonic and emissions that come from the same auroral arc. All events coming from the south that had a and azimuth angle of arrival within 10° had a higher elevation than elevation within experimental uncertainty, supporting the mechanism by which these emissions are excited at the “double resonance” points on the bottomside of the ionosphere.
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Radio emissions of auroral origin observable at ground level: outstanding problems
Auroral radio emissions are of intrinsic interest as part of the Earth’s environment but also provide remote sensing of ionospheric conditions and processes and a laboratory for emission processes applicable to a wide range of space and astrophysical plasmas. At VLF and above, four broad classes of radio emissions occur. All have been observed with ground-based and, in some cases to a lesser degree, with space-based instruments. Related to each type of radio emission, many experimental and theoretical challenges remain, for example: explanations of frequency and time structure, relations to auroral substorms or current systems, and application to remote sensing of the auroral ionosphere. In some cases, basic parameters such as source heights or generation mechanisms are uncertain. Emerging technological advances such as cubesat fleets, ultra-large capacity disk drives, and software defined radio show promise for developing better understanding of auroral radio emissions.
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- Award ID(s):
- 2205753
- PAR ID:
- 10516092
- Publisher / Repository:
- Frontiers in Astronomy and Space Sciences
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Frontiers in Astronomy and Space Sciences
- Volume:
- 10
- ISSN:
- 2296-987X
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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