Special Astrophysics Seminar

The X-Ray Aurora

Edgar A. Bering III

University of Houston

This talk will review the physics of the X-ray aurora. The talk begins with a brief overview of the aurora and related emissions . Observations of terrestrial X-ray emissions are a very useful method for remote sensing energetic electron precipita- tion. Auroral x-rays were first discovered in 1961 by Kinsey Anderson [Anderson and Milton, 1964]. Auroral electrons are usually energetic enough to produce X-rays detectable at balloon altitudes in auroral breakup forms. This talk will begin by reviewing the use of rocket launched, parachute deployed X-ray counters to study the transport of auroral X-rays through the atmosphere. Other important X-ray phenomena include microbursts, thought to be the signature of VLF radio wave induced particle precipitation associated with discrete wave bursts. In recent years, attention has focused on relativistic electron precipitation in the vicinity of the plasmapause and associated wave emissions.