Nonlinear evolution of the lower hybrid irregularities in artificially created dusty space plasmas

• Published in: Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics Vol. 117; no. A7
• Main Authors: Fu, H., Scales, W. A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington, DC Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.07.2012; American Geophysical Union
• Subjects: active aerosol release experiment; Atmospheric sciences; Dust; dusty space plasma; Earth sciences; Earth, ocean, space; Exact sciences and technology; Geomagnetic field; Ionosphere; lower hybrid solitary structure; Magnetic fields; particle-in-cell modeling; depletion; experimental studies; Lower hybrid frequency; waves; models; Plasma; magnetic field; Particle in cell method; Plasma turbulence; density; Plasma frequency; geomagnetic field; clouds; ionosphere; electrons; electrical field; Earth; saturation; instability; warming; ions; Charged dust; Gyrofrequency
• ISSN: 0148-0227; 2169-9380; 2156-2202; 2169-9402
• DOI: 10.1029/2012JA017704

Plasma turbulence associated with the creation of an artificial dust layer in the earth's ionosphere is investigated. The lower hybrid turbulence is considered as the dust is injected across the geomagnetic field into the background plasma, which generates irregularities at times much longer than the dust charging period. A two‐dimensional hybrid particle‐in‐cell model is developed to investigate the lower hybrid instability driven by the streaming charged dust beam. It is shown that turbulence near the lower hybrid frequency is generated which has spatial structure with enhanced electric fields in localized density depletions. The wave saturation involves ion and dust heating. Energization of ions perpendicular to the magnetic field is observed. The ratio of electron plasma frequency to electron gyro frequency plays an important role on the lower hybrid irregularity spatial structure. Important parameters of the dust cloud that impact nonlinear evolution of the waves are discussed for the regimes of upcoming space experiments. Similarities between past observations of lower hybrid turbulence observed during passive space experiments in the auroral region and lower hybrid turbulence generated by such active experiments is discussed. Key Points Lower hybrid irregularity generation by dust beam during active experiment Nonlinear evolution of lower hybrid instability by simulation model Similarity of lower hybrid solitary structure with passive space experiments