Acceleration of Non-Maxwellian Electron Distributions and Estimates of Radio Emission Observables

Abstract:

Mono-energetic electron precipitation is driven by strong field-aligned currents (FACs) which require the acceleration of otherwise assumed to be Maxwellian electron distributions. In many MHD magnetosphere-ionosphere models the associated field-aligned potential drop is calculated using the MHD plasma temperature, which is also assumed to be Maxwellian. In this work, we utilize the discrete electron energy channels used by the Rice Convection Model (RCM) coupled to the 3D MHD model GAMERA, developed as part of the NASA DRIVE Science Center for Geospace Storms (CGS), to test the validity of the assumption of a Maxwellian electron distribution, and the effects on the field-aligned potential drop when the distribution deviates from the Maxwellian model. Additionally we estimate the radio emission produced by the accelerated electrons via the Electron Cyclotron Maser Instability (ECMI) as would be observable by satellite.