Statistical Study of Electron Density Enhancements in the Ionospheric F
Region Associated with Pulsating Auroras
Abstract
Pulsating auroras (PsAs) are considered to be caused by energetic
(~10 keV) electron precipitations. Additionally, soft
electron precipitations (~1 keV) have often been
observed in PsAs. These soft electron precipitations enhance the
electron density in the ionospheric F region. However, to date, the
relationship between PsAs and soft electron precipitation has not been
well understood. In this study, using the data taken by the European
incoherent scatter radar and the auroral all-sky imager at Tromso;, we
conducted two case studies to investigate, in detail, the relationship
between the electron density height profile and the type of aurora.
Additionally, we conducted statistical studies for 14 events to
elucidate how often F region electron density enhancement occurs with a
PsA. We consequently found that 76% of electron density height profiles
showed a local peak in the F region, with electron temperature
enhancements. It was also found that 89% of the F region peak altitudes
were above the peak altitude of the ionization rate produced by
electrons of characteristic energy below 100 eV. The occurrence rate of
these profiles in the hourly magnetic local time (MLT) exceeded 80% in
the 22–3 MLT sectors. We suggest that the electron density enhancement
in the F region would have been caused by electrostatic electron
cyclotron harmonic waves in the magnetosphere. Another candidate would
have been polar patches that had traveled from the dayside ionosphere.