Current Driven Double Layers on Auroral Field Lines

高纬度极光带是地球磁层中最复杂、最有趣的区域之一。该区域平行电场的存在以及等离子体湍流的存在是一个重大的研究挑战。平行电场产生（及相关电流）的主要理论包括：(1)粒子运动，或(2)阿尔芬波。本项目的研究方向是：在极光加速区，由剪切Alfven波携带的场向电流是否会导致准稳态场向电场和双层的形成。该项目将对阿尔芬波模型进行详细测试，以产生小规模场向电流和极光粒子加速。＊＊＊

The high latitude auroral zone is one of the most complex and interesting areas in the Earth's magnetosphere. The existence of parallel electric fields in this region with a concomitant level of plasma turbulence presents a significant research challenge. The principal theories on parallel electric field generation (and the associate currents) involve either (1) particle motion, or (2) Alfven waves. This project is interested in whether field-aligned currents in the auroral acceleration region carried by shear Alfven waves can lead to the formation of quasi-stationary field-aligned electric fields and double layers. The project will be a detailed test of the Alfven wave model for generating small scale field-aligned currents and auroral particle acceleration. ***