High-frequency coherent plasma waves observed in the lower auroral ionosphere

Abstract

Probe measurements of plasma irregularities in the lower E region during an auroral event showed the presence of coherent wave forms with a wavelength extending down to 35 cm that can be explained by the Farley–Buneman instability. Our results can be interpreted in the frame of recent theories of electron heating by unstable waves. Our data provide experimental evidence that coherent short-wavelength waves can be excited as is assumed in these theories. The measurements were made from rocket AAD-VIIIC-09 (ARIES-A) that formed part of the ARIES campaign for auroral modelling.