Abstract This paper reviews the theory of electron heating by unstable plasma waves naturally occuring in the high latitude E region. We describe the grounds common to the various wave heating theories to date. We show that one debate on heating particulars is centred on whether or not the heating is done by small scale structures (20 cm or so) or by larger irregularities in the few meters range. Another debate is centred on whether the electrons are heated by wave electric fields perpendicular to the magnetic field or by parallel fields. We show how these debates are intimately related to a nonlinear description of the plasma, and we show how the heating observations themselves can be used to shed some light on these questions, which are tied to questions related to the nonlinear evolution of the unstable waves. An attempt is made throughout this work not only to show the progress that has been made, but also to pinpoint areas for which further research will be needed. This includes applications, one of which is the computation of new integrated ionospheric conductivities that will have to include nonlinear contributions from plasma irregularities both directly and indirectly, through increases in E region collision frequencies.
Electron heating by plasma waves in the high latitude E-region and related effects: theory
Advances in Space Research ; 10 , 6 ; 239-249
1989-01-01
11 pages
Article (Journal)
Electronic Resource
English
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