Abstract Recent numerical simulations on double layers (DL) are reviewed and discussed in the light of relevant space observations in the auroral plasma. Two-dimensional (2-d) DLs driven by current sheets of a finite thickness ℓ show different characteristics depending on whether ℓ < ϱ i or ℓ ⪢ g9i being the ion gyroradius. In the former case, V-shaped DLs form with nearly equal parallel and perpendicular potential drops φ;m, which are determined by the temperatures of the various constituent ions. In the latter case, the major parallel potential drop occurs outside the current sheet and the perpendicular electric fields are localized at the edges of the current sheet. Some important features, such as the amplitudes and scale lengths of the parallel and perpendicular electric fields, seen in these simulations are qualitatively similar to those observed in space. The review of one-dimensional simulations covers the following: (i) The dynamical features of DLs and their possible applications to flickering auroras and low frequency fluctuations of inverted-V events; (ii) Ion-acoustic double layers with sustained currents and their relationship to weak DLs observed in auroral plasmas; (iii) Recent DE observations of large field-aligned currents (> 100 μA/m2) and the excitation of Buneman double layers.


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    Title :

    Numerical simulations of double layers and auroral electric fields


    Contributors:

    Published in:

    Advances in Space Research ; 4 , 2-3 ; 481-490


    Publication date :

    1984-01-01


    Size :

    10 pages




    Type of media :

    Article (Journal)


    Type of material :

    Electronic Resource


    Language :

    English



    Numerical simulations of double layers and auroral electric fields

    Singh, N. / Schunk, R. W. / Thiemann, H. | NTRS | 1984


    Some features of auroral electric fields as seen in 2D numerical simulations

    Thiemann, H. / Singh, N. / Schunk, R.W. | Elsevier | 1984


    Some features of auroral electric fields as seen in 2D numerical simulations

    Thiemann, H. / Singh, N. / Schunk, R. W. | NTRS | 1984