Auroral pulsations from ionospheric winds

Abstract

The possibility that auroral pulsations are due to oscillatory electrical circuits in the ionosphere that are driven by the negative resistance of jet stream winds is examined. For the condenser plates, the highly conducting surfaces above the edges of the jet stream are postulated. The dielectric constant of the plasma between the plates is quite large. The current that is driven perpendicular to and by the jet stream closes along the plates and through Pedersen currents in the F region above the stream. This closed loop gives the inductance and resistance for the circuit. Periods of oscillation for this circuit appear to be in the range of Pc 1 to Pc 3. In accord with observations, this circuit appears to be able to limit the brightness of pulsations.